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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24780196">What's Broken Can Be Mended (And What's Lost Can Be Found)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainjaybird/pseuds/captainjaybird'>captainjaybird</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Redemption, Saving Angella</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:01:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24780196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainjaybird/pseuds/captainjaybird</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While experimenting, Entrapta finds something shocking: data indicating that Queen Angella is still alive, trapped in another dimension. The Best Friend Squad has to save her, but doing so will test their relationships with each other and with themselves. Can people who love each other come together? And what are the limits of redemption? Adora and Catra relearn how to trust each other and themselves, while Bow and Glimmer work on coming together. At the end of the journey, nothing will be the same. Post season 5.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora &amp; Angella (She-Ra), Adora &amp; Bow &amp; Catra &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora &amp; Bow &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Angella &amp; Catra (She-Ra), Angella &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Glimmer &amp; Micah (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>She-Ra</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Discovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started with Entrapta.</p><p><em> Of course it did, </em> Adora thinks. <em> Who else could have even begun to find this? </em></p><p>And so, it started with Entrapta, but that certainly wasn’t where it would <em> end. </em></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> Entrapta stared at her readings. “Curious,” she muttered to herself. “The resonance of this data is two point two eight standard deviations away from what would be expected.” </em>
</p><p><em> Unseen behind her goggles, Entrapta furrowed her eyebrows. She wasn’t working with portals again, not </em> <b> <em>really</em></b><em>, but surely no one would have minded if she just took a little look? A nice, safe, not-world-ending look? And so she had come up with a portal probe of sorts, a beam that could shoot right into…well, elsewhere. Where, even Hordak couldn’t say. </em></p><p>
  <em> Now that she thought of it, Entrapta knew she needed him to look at this.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hordak!” she called. “Hordak, come look at this! It’ll be just like the old days!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Deep in her work, Entrapta didn’t see the look Hordak’s assigned guards gave each other about the reference to the pair’s “old days.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hordak walked over, the guards’ eyes tracking him as he went. He has been released into Entrapta’s custody, although she would have referred to the arrangement as “Lab partners! A research collaboration!” Legally, Etheria did not quite agree. Hordak, however, considered himself fortunate to be given the amount of freedom that he was. And with the person he...wanted...to spend time with. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Your probe is working,” he said. “Those signals are clearer than I expected.” </em>
</p><p><em> “Of course it’s working, silly! Tech always works if you can figure out what it </em> <b> <em>wants</em> </b> <em> to do. But look at these readings! They’re very strange!” Entrapta ended with a mad cackle. “Well over expected values!” </em></p><p>
  <em> “I see.” Hordak leaned closer. “Wait, I...Entrapta, don’t you recognize this?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Recognize wha--oh. Ohhhhhhh.” Entrapta clapped her hands in glee. “That’s the same frequency we always pick up from Bright Moon! I forgot, because we always try to filter out the noise to get more precise data.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hordak grimaced. “How much did they tell you about what happened when the portal opened? During the war.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Just the basics really. Blah blah, alternate reality, blah blah, planes of existence collapsing. I don’t think they really understood the science of it, so I didn’t ask too many questions.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hmph. But they didn’t tell you how it was all stopped?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Entrapta paused. “No. No, they didn’t. But their facial expressions all indicated what my social interaction data interprets as great discomfort.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hordak frowned. “That’s probably underselling it. Queen Angella went into the portal to seal it. She’s either dead, or trapped in another dimension for all eternity.” </em>
</p><p><em> Entrapta took off her mask, her expression crestfallen. “Dead? Trapped? But...but that’s our fault! </em> <b> <em>We </em> </b> <em> did that.” Suddenly her eyes sharpened. “But with these readings...maybe we can fix it!” </em></p><p>
  <em> Fingers and hair flew over the keyboard, querying data, calculating probabilities, projecting outcomes. The final output stood out on the screen, the letters and numbers seeming far too mundane for what they suggested might be possible. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Bright Moon resonance match. Probability user of moonstone is alive: 93%.</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> Entrapta and Hordak looked at each other. “We need to get Adora.” </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Entrapta has just left, chattering away about her findings, when Adora finally releases the breath she’d been holding. <em> Queen Angella is alive.  </em></p><p>The words seem to lighten her heart and crush her all at once. Queen Angella is alive, and Adora is not responsible for her death...but she’s trapped in a reality by herself for all eternity, an arguably worse fate. And Adora had just <em> left </em> her there. She hasn’t even tried to look. None of them had.</p><p><em> We could still save her, </em> Adora thinks. But she knows that an attempt to save her could end their world. This isn’t a decision for her to make. This isn’t even a decision for She-Ra to make. She needs to talk to Glimmer...and to Catra. Glimmer, because she’s the queen and it’s her mother and they’ve still never <em> really </em> talked out Angella’s...not death, now, but end, and Catra because, well, she threw the switch, and Adora doesn’t want to blindside her with this. She briefly considers who to talk to first before settling on Catra. As soon as she tells Glimmer, the young queen will burst into action, and that won’t leave any time for dealing with questions of guilt and responsibility. Adora has seen what’s happened when those feelings are left to fester. She won’t let it happen again.</p><p>Finding Catra will not be that difficult. It’s been about four months since the war ended, but Catra is still cagey about exploring Bright Moon on her own. She half-expects to be thrown in prison, Adora is pretty sure. If she isn’t in their bedroom or the kitchen, Catra will probably be on the outskirts of the Whispering Woods with Melog. Since starting to do some meditation with Perfuma, Catra seems to have gained a deeper appreciation for the outdoors. Or maybe just the solitude of the woods. Adora sometimes struggles to read her, even now. There are still things they haven’t talked about...and this is one of them.</p><p>Adora straightens her spine. That’s changing now. There’s no getting around of it. Adora was raised as a soldier. She knows when it’s time to just charge right through something. </p><p>She does find Catra in the Whispering Woods, in the end. Specifically, she finds her stretched out up on a tree branch, Melog curled around the tree trunk below.</p><p>“Catra!” Adora calls. “Catra, can you come down here? I need to talk to you about something.”</p><p>Catra lands in front of her nearly soundlessly and Adora can’t help but jump a little. </p><p>“I hate it when you do that.”</p><p>“Aw, but you love it when I do this,” Catra replies, leaning close and kissing her. Adora lets herself enjoy it for a minute before pulling back. She thinks Catra can feel how stiff she is when she sees the question in her mismatched eyes.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Catra asks quietly. “I haven’t seen you with that look on your face since...well, since the war ended.”</p><p>“It’s...it’s Queen Angella.” Adora meets her gaze. “Do you know how she…left?”</p><p>Catra shakes her head. “No one ever told me. I think it was around the time when I...from when I pulled that lever, but all I really knew was one minute she was in command, and the next, it was Sparkles.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Adora pauses. “It was from when you pulled that lever.” Catra’s eyes widen, and Adora hurriedly continues. “I mean, it was...Catra, it was <em> because </em> you pulled that lever. The portal, it, it had to be closed. Whoever was going to do it was going to die, or be trapped in another dimension forever, we didn’t know which. I was going to do it, but Angella stopped me.”</p><p>“Wait!” Catra interrupts, stumbling back. “Wait, Adora. What I did, that’s what lost Angella, and you’re telling me I almost lost <em> you?</em>” She runs her hands through her short hair, clenching her eyes shut. “You mean it was almost you, and you <em> never told me?</em>”</p><p>“That’s not important,” Adora dismisses. “It wasn’t me.”</p><p>“Don’t say that! Don’t you start this again, like back at the Heart! You’re important Adora, and now I just learned I almost lost you and it was my own fault, and you’re saying that’s not important?!”</p><p>Adora sighs. She still doesn’t feel like it <em> is </em> important, because it should have been her, but it wasn’t, and they’ve all had to live with the consequences. That’s not what she wants to talk about right now, though.</p><p>“Please...can we talk about this later? I brought this up for a reason, but this isn’t it.”</p><p>“Fine,” Catra acquiesces, glaring at her. “But we <em> are </em>going to talk about this later.”</p><p>Adora nods. She can handle that...probably. But back to the main point:</p><p>“In the end it was Angella. She’s the one who got trapped in the portal. That’s why Glimmer became queen.”</p><p>The moment it hits Catra is obvious. Her ears droop, her tail lowers, and behind her, Melog’s mane goes red and spiky.</p><p>“I killed Queen Angella. I killed Glimmer’s <em> mom</em>.”</p><p>Before Adora can correct her, Catra is off on a tear. </p><p>“How does Glimmer not hate me?! I killed her mother! When we were on Prime’s ship, why didn’t she throw that back in my face? I deserve it! I don’t deserve to be her friend now! They’ve been letting me have freedom of the castle and do whatever I want and <em> I killed Glimmer’s mom.</em>”</p><p>Adora steps forward and grabs Catra’s hands before she even thinks about it. </p><p>“She’s not dead!”</p><p>Catra goes rigid in Adora’s hand, pupils constricting to slits. “<em> What?</em>”</p><p>“She’s not dead. Entrapta found her energy signature in another dimension. I didn’t understand half of what she said, but I think the gist of it is that Angella can be rescued. Maybe.”</p><p>“Then...then this can be fixed? We can...we can undo this?” The hope in Catra’s eyes makes Adora’s throat constrict. “We can take it all back?” </p><p>Adora thinks this is about more than the portal. She thinks she should be very, very careful in what she says next.</p><p>“I don’t think...things can be taken back. I don’t think it works like that. But we can go forward, and we can make amends. And this time, maybe, the amends can fix one of the consequences.”</p><p>Catra nods. “Then that has to be enough. I can bring Glimmer’s mom back, that has to count for something, right?” Her voice is raw. “It’ll count for something, won’t it?”</p><p>Adora embraces her. Catra is trembling in her arms. “I think Glimmer already forgave you. I know she <em> is </em> your friend. You should probably talk about it with her. <em> I </em>have to talk about it with her after this. And Catra, you have to know, you’re already enough. I love you, and you’re enough for me. Can that be enough for you too?”</p><p>Against her neck, Catra mumbles “Maybe.” Adora knows that means <em> No</em>. But that’s another thing to talk about later. They have so much to talk about, still. They have so much to do, now.</p><p>“I need to talk to Glimmer now. I think it will probably be kind of rough. Can I meet you back in our room after?”</p><p>Catra steps back and brushes another kiss against her lips. “Yeah. Good idea. I’m just going to...stay out here for a while. But I’ll meet you back there.” She smiles at Adora. “I promise.”</p><p>Adora believes her. They’re keeping their promises to each other now. She kisses her goodbye, and then leaves to find Glimmer. Part of her feels like a coward for wishing Entrapta had told Glimmer about this instead. But she didn’t, and Adora loves her friend too much to let her down with this.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Surprisingly, Glimmer is not in the throne room. She isn’t in her bedroom, or the kitchen either. It turns out she’s in the courtyard, where Shadow Weaver used to do her gardening. Adora usually avoids that place. She doesn’t like the memories it brings. She wishes this conversation could be <em> anywhere </em>else in the castle.</p><p>“Hey, Glimmer?” Glimmer turns around from where she was inspecting a flower. “Can I talk to you? It’s important.”</p><p>“Of course!” Glimmer chirps, and then sobers when she sees the look on Adora’s face. “What...what is it?”</p><p>Adora’s legs feel weak. She’s dreaded this conversation so much that they’ve never had it. She just let Glimmer gloss over all the things she’d said to Adora after her mother’s death after her rescue from Prime’s ship. It looks like she’ll actually have to face them now.</p><p>“Can we sit down?” Adora asks, indicating a bench. “This might take a while.”</p><p>“Sure,” Glimmer says, putting a hand on her arm. “Adora, are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m always okay,” Adora answers reflexively. Glimmer looks unconvinced, but doesn’t argue.</p><p>They sit down next to each other, close but not touching. Adora is grateful for that. She looks down at her hands.</p><p>“We never really talked...about your mom. What happened to her. That I didn’t save her.”</p><p>“Adora…” Glimmer says softly, touching her hand gently. “I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it. I don’t blame you anymore. You didn’t pull the lever. And...and I’m trying to let go of my anger that Catra did, for all our sakes.”</p><p>Adora feels a little more like she can breathe. Glimmer doesn’t blame her…she doesn’t hate Catra. She can feel some of the cracks in their friendship she’d been denying start to mend.</p><p>“That’s good. That’s...really good. I’m glad. But I didn’t bring this up for no reason.”</p><p>Adora turns to look at Glimmer, whose face is carefully blank. There’s nothing for it but to say it.</p><p>“Entrapta thinks your mom is alive. She thinks she found her.”</p><p>A myriad of emotions pass over Glimmer’s face. Shock, confusion, and then joy. Tears in her eyes, Glimmer hugs her. “Adora! That’s great! What do we do? When do we start? How can we get her back? I’ll get everyone right now, I’ll—”</p><p>“Wait,” Adora says, pushing her back a little and holding her by the shoulders, holding eye contact. “Glimmer, wait. It’s not that simple.”</p><p>And <em> there’s </em> the anger Adora was expecting. Despite it all, she doesn’t feel prepared when it hits her. </p><p>“What do you <em> mean, </em>it’s not that simple?! Entrapta found my mom! We go get her! What could possibly be complicated about that?”</p><p>“Last time we opened a portal, it almost ended the world. Now that we’re out of Despondos, it could end the <em> universe. </em>We can’t just go playing with that!”</p><p>“It’s not <em> playing! </em> It’s my mom! I thought you of all people would get that. You were there when she died!”</p><p>Adora closes her eyes. “I know. <em> I know, </em>and I still have dreams about it, but we can’t put the universe at risk for one person. Not without really thinking about it.”</p><p>“Isn’t that what you did for Catra?” Glimmer’s voice is cold. “Isn’t that <em> exactly </em> what you did for Catra, when you went back for her on Horde Prime’s ship?”</p><p>Adora has no answer for that. Going back for Catra was the most selfish thing she’s ever done. It’s also one of the few things in her life she has <em> never </em> regretted.</p><p>“Glimmer, please,” Adora looks at her again. “I’m not saying no. I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying we have to talk about it...and not just us. Probably all of the princesses. This could affect everyone. We definitely have to bring Entrapta in.”</p><p>“And Hordak?” Glimmer’s voice is a challenge. “What about him?”</p><p>Whenever she thinks of Hordak, anger still burns in Adora’s chest, as much as she pities him for having been a victim of Prime, as much as she spared him for that. She tries to never think of him at all.</p><p>“No. Not him. We might need his knowledge...but he has no say in this. I promise, Glimmer, he doesn’t get to choose.”</p><p>Glimmer heaves a breath out. “You’re right. I hate it, but you’re right. We’ll bring this up with the other princesses.”</p><p>Glimmer looks at her, pleading. “They’ll go for it, right? They’ll definitely want to bring her back? To bring her home?”</p><p>Adora wishes desperately she could say yes. “I think if anyone could convince them of it, it’s you. You’re smart, and compassionate, and you know how to argue for what’s right. You should talk to Bow about it. He’s always great at being the mediator. Not like me, you know, Punch-Your-Feelings-Out Girl.”</p><p>That gets the laugh Adora was looking for, wet with tears. Glimmer leans against her. “Yeah. Yeah, I should talk to Bow. But you’re with me, right?”</p><p>Adora takes Glimmer’s hand. “Every step of the way.”</p><p>For now, that’s enough.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It’s late by the time Adora makes it back to her and Catra’s room. She had visited Angella’s mural and stayed until she was sure the redness in her eyes was gone.</p><p>Catra is not asleep, like Adora half-hoped she would be. She’s sitting by the window, moonlight reflecting off her eyes. </p><p>“Hey, Adora.”</p><p>Adora smiles. “Hey, Catra. How are you doing?”</p><p>Adora can see the moment Catra decides to tell her the truth. Her spine straightens, and her tail twitches anxiously. </p><p>“I feel pretty awful. I’ve tried hard not to think about the portal. It’s probably the worst thing I ever did, and you <em> know </em> that’s a long list. And I never realized that <em> I </em>was the reason Glimmer’s mom was gone. But we can fix it. Together. Right?”</p><p>Adora sits on the bed. “I hope so.”</p><p>Catra moves to sit besides her, butting her gently with her head. “How do <em> you </em> feel?”</p><p>Catra was honest with her. The least Adora can do is to be honest back. </p><p>“Guilty. We wouldn’t be in this position if I’d been better, faster, stronger. We wouldn’t have to be making the kind of decisions we’re about to make. It wouldn’t even be a <em> question, </em> because Angella would be here. But she isn’t, and that’s because she took my place.”</p><p>“I’m glad she did.” Adora looks at Catra in shock, a hint of accusation in her eyes. “I’m not glad she’s gone!” Catra quickly clarifies. “You know I feel awful about that. But I’m glad <em> you’re </em> here.”</p><p>“Because I won the war.” Adora says. “We might have lost everything without She-Ra.”</p><p>“<em>No. </em> Because you’re Adora, and I love you, and if you can remember, you idiot, it was our embarrassing mushy <em> love </em> that saved the universe.” Catra cradles her hands. “Adora, when are you going to learn to value <em> you?</em>”</p><p>Adora laughs wetly. “Probably about the same time you learn to forgive yourself.”</p><p>Catra huffs a breath. “We’re really a pair, aren’t we. Just a couple fucked-up former Horde kids. But we’re trying.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Adora agrees. “We’re trying.”</p><p>There isn’t much to talk about after that, but when they’re lying in each other’s arms, they don’t really need to. It’s the only kind of peace they know. Neither of them wants to shatter the moment, but just before she falls asleep, Adora promises:</p><p>“We will fix this. Starting tomorrow, we’ll fix it.”</p><p>Catra nods half-awake against her, and quietly, they slip off to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Decisions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> My mom is alive. </em> Glimmer feels like she does whenever she’s just charged her powers from the moonstone, sparking and energized and full of purpose. <em> My mom is alive, and we’re going to save her.  </em></p><p>Yes, she still has to convince all the other princesses. But she will. The alternative is unthinkable. </p><p>“We’re not leaving her,” she says to herself. “We’re <em> not.</em>”</p><p>Glimmer needs to talk to Bow, and not just because Adora said she should. He’s better at being the voice of reason, curbing Glimmer’s more impulsive nature. Glimmer knows this, even if she sometimes ignores it. She tries to ignore it less now, after the disaster with the Heart of Etheria. </p><p>If she’s being honest with herself, her mom isn’t the only thing she needs to talk to Bow about. They’d said they loved each other, and Glimmer knows they meant it, but they haven’t spoken of it since. They haven’t done anything. Everything has changed, and nothing, all at once. Glimmer doesn’t want to brush it off as an end of the world thing. But she’s been so scared of a repeat of Princess Prom, where Bow chose someone else…</p><p>It’s still early in the morning, and Glimmer usually wouldn’t be awake, but she’s too alive with the possibility her mother can be saved to sleep in. Bow is an early riser, much to Glimmer’s distress whenever they travel together. She knows he likes to go practice his archery at the range first thing in the morning, before it gets crowded. She’s positive she’ll find him there. </p><p>When she teleports to the range, Bow is there, just like she knew he would be. She knows him better than anyone, and he knows her the same way. It’s what she needs this morning. She’s glad Adora came to talk to her last night, but Adora’s strategic reasoning isn’t really what she needs right now. It’s Bow’s comfort and gentle advice that she wants. </p><p>It’s a credit to the length of their friendship that Bow doesn’t jump when she suddenly appears in a flash of sparkles. “Hey, Glimmer!” he says with a big smile. “You’re up early.”</p><p>“I’d say you’re rubbing off on me but…” Glimmer hesitates. “...it’s something important. You mind if we can talk somewhere more private?”</p><p>Bow looks pensive, but nods. “Of course. Wherever you want to go.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles and takes his arm. In an instant, they’re in one of their favorite spots of the castle, a little alcove by the library that’s been their place for years. Even Adora doesn’t know about it. </p><p>She leads him to the chairs by the little window. He sits down in his spot, and she in hers. It’s familiar, comfortable. This conversation isn’t going to be. </p><p>“What’s going on?” Bow asks, looking concerned. “You’re never up this early, and you look <em> way </em>more serious than normal.”</p><p>Glimmer swallows. “It’s my mom.” Before she can continue, Bow has reached out to take her hand. The anticipation in her stomach turns into a different type of butterflies. “Adora came and told me that Entrapta thinks she’s alive. She thinks she could be saved. They could bring her back!”</p><p>Bow squeezes her hand. “That’s great! What do we need to do? When can we start? How can I help?”</p><p>“That’s the thing. It would be really dangerous. We’d need to open another portal. I can’t even commit to doing it until we’ve spoken to all the other princesses. I called a meeting for this afternoon.”</p><p>Bow frowns. “Another portal...yeah, that could be bad. It could be a hard sell. But Glimmer, you know I’m with you.”</p><p>“I know.” Glimmer smiles. “That’s why I came to talk to you. I need your help. You’re better at getting people to see your point of view than I am. I just kinda brute force it. And...you know how well that worked before. When I...when I messed things up between you and me, and me and Adora.”</p><p>Bow takes a breath. “You did. But you learned. I’m glad you’re asking me for help. What are you going to tell the princesses?”</p><p>“That my mom is alive and we can save her. We <em> should </em>save her.”</p><p>Bow grimaces. “You’re not going to like hearing this. But you’re going to need another reason. Not everyone loves your mom like you do. They all <em> like </em> her, but you know, they aren’t close. They don’t know her very well.”</p><p>Glimmer forces herself to relax her jaw, which clenched while Bow was speaking. He’s right, even if she hates it. She can’t take it out on him. She would have in the past, but she’s learned—the hard way. </p><p>“Another reason...well, she was queen of Bright Moon for centuries. Someone with her experience could really help with the rebuilding efforts. I think we all could use some guidance. Netossa and Spinnerella are the oldest princesses, but they don’t run their own kingdoms, and they’re still like, thirty.”</p><p>“That’s a good reason!” Bow grins. “Now can you come up with some ways you can manage the risks?”</p><p>“I’d have to talk with Entrapta. I don’t really know the science.” Glimmer pauses, thinking. “But we have a space ship. We could do it off-world. And maybe this time we could figure out some way to do it so that the focal point wouldn’t be Adora. Some way to keep it more stable. But like I said, that’s really more Entrapta’s thing.”</p><p>“The other thing is figuring out how we can keep our memories. We all forgot what was going on with the portal last time, remember? We didn’t even know Adora. It’ll be hard to rescue your mom and get out in time if we don’t know what’s going on.”</p><p>Bow is always so good at thinking about logistics and planning. He always seems to remember the stuff Glimmer forgets. </p><p>“I don’t know. But for this maybe tech isn’t the answer. Maybe magic is. I can look stuff up and ask my dad.”</p><p>Bow stills. “Your dad...Glimmer, have you told him about this yet?”</p><p>She hasn’t. She’s still a little unused to her father, still a little unsure. She wanted the comfort of talking to Bow first. But she can’t tell <em> him </em> that. </p><p>“No,” she admits. “I’ll talk to him right after this, before the princess meeting. I’ll have time.”</p><p>Bow smiles at her. “Do you want me to go with you?”</p><p>Glimmer is touched by the offer, but this is something she has to do alone. She owes her dad that. </p><p>“No, it’s okay. I should be the one to tell him.”</p><p>There’s understanding in Bow’s eyes. “Yeah. But if you want you can come find me after.”</p><p>Glimmer gives him a smile. “I might take you up on that.”</p><p>They lapse into a comfortable silence. It seems like they’re done talking about Angella. Glimmer remembers that she wanted to talk about their relationship (or lack thereof), but she feels wrung out and tired after talking about her mom like this, and she still has to go over it again with her dad. It can wait for later. They’ll have plenty of time if—<em>when </em>they go to space to rescue her mother. </p><p>“I should go find my dad,” Glimmer says, standing up. Bow rises too, and folds her into a hug. Glimmer lets herself sink into his embrace, comforted by his familiar scent and his strong arms. She wishes she could stay there longer. She stifles a gasp when Bow kisses her head, just like when they were facing Prime. </p><p>“You can do this. I know you can.”</p><p>Glimmer nods against his neck. “I can. As long as you’re with me.”</p><p>“Always,” Bow promises, and Glimmer knows he means it. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Finding her dad is a little more difficult than finding Bow. She doesn’t really know his routines, and she hasn’t quite figured out his favorite places to be either. In the end, she finds him in the last place she wanted to have this conversation, in front of her mom’s mural. </p><p>“Dad?” Glimmer hates how tentative her voice is. </p><p>“Hi, sweetheart,” her father says, smiling. “What’s going on?”</p><p>Glimmer glances at her mother’s mural. She could try to break it gently, but the rash, bold part of her just wants to rip the bandaid off. Her dad survived for years on Beast Island. He’ll be strong enough to handle this. Won’t he?</p><p>“It’s about Mom.”</p><p>Micah takes a step towards her, but then hangs back. Glimmer thinks maybe he doesn’t know how to do this either. </p><p>“Angella,” he breathes, seemingly unconsciously. “What about her? Do you want me to tell you some stories about her? I miss her too.” His eyes focus on her. “I miss her every day, but I also see so much of her in you.”</p><p>That throws Glimmer. She’s always thought of herself as so different from her mom. </p><p>“You do?” she asks, the words escaping her before she can bring her focus back to rescue. “Really?”</p><p>Micah smiles, and this time he reaches out to lay a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder. His touch feels warm and safe. Glimmer wonders how she could miss something she didn’t even really remember, but a part of her seems to fall into place anyway. </p><p>“I do. Your mother was compassionate, and you have one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever known. I’ve seen how you are with your friends. You’d do anything for them. I think you <em> did </em> do anything for them during the war. There’s so much I missed with you, Glimmer, so much I wasn’t there for, but you found love in your life anyway.”</p><p>Glimmer blinks away the tears in her eyes. “Dad…”</p><p>Micah squeezes her shoulder. “I should have told you about this sooner. I should have brought up your mother before. But I was hurting, and afraid of hurting you.”</p><p>“You’re not hurting me,” Glimmer says softly. “And I have something to tell you about Mom.” She takes a breath. “She’s alive.”</p><p>Micah gasps and Glimmer hurries. “I mean Entrapta said she had a 93% chance of being alive. And she knows where she is. We can save her.”</p><p>“Alive…” Micah stops. “But can we reach her? Is it safe?”</p><p>“It’s probably not safe. But we can do it. I <em> know </em> we can.”</p><p>Micah closes his eyes. “I can’t make that decision for you. You’re the queen, and I made the decision to step back and only advise you. But I can’t lose you too, Glimmer. Please don’t make me go through that. Not again.”</p><p>Glimmer’s throat constricts. “I won’t. You won’t lose me. We’ll be careful. And my friends convinced me this isn’t a decision I can make alone. I’m meeting with the princesses after this.”</p><p>“Good. Whatever you do, I’ll support you. If anyone can bring her back, it’s you.”</p><p>Glimmer darts forward and hugs him. Slowly, carefully, his arms come up to hug her back. </p><p>“I love you, Dad.”</p><p>“I love you too, princess. No matter what, I’ll always support you.”</p><p>The moment is fragile, but it’s there. Glimmer has her family back. All she has to do now is make it complete. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The talk with her dad lasted longer than expected, and Glimmer doesn’t have time to go see Bow before the princess meeting. She has just enough time to pop by the washroom to make sure she’s composed, that her eyes are no longer red and her hair is neat. When she’s satisfied she looks like a queen, she heads to the war room. Well, what used to be the war room. They should probably rename it now. </p><p>Taking a deep breath, Glimmer opens the doors. All the other princesses are already there, waiting for her. She isn’t late—but it is also customary for the queen to arrive last. Adora flashes her a quick, supportive smile. Scorpia and Perfuma, sitting closer together than they did in the last meeting they had, look as excited and happy to see her as ever. Frosta looks like she’s trying to keep her “regal” face on, but a smile quirks at her mouth anyway when Glimmer comes in. Netossa and Spinnerella look calm and composed. Mermista looks bored, but she always does. Entrapta is practically vibrating out of her seat, knowing they’re going to discuss portals and <em> science. </em></p><p>Glimmer takes her seat and puts her queenly voice on. “I called this meeting today for a specific purpose. We have reason to believe that Queen Angella is alive.”</p><p>Surprised noises sound around the room. Nearly everyone looks floored. Even Mermista’s eyes have widened. </p><p>“I don’t know the science,” Glimmer continues. “Entrapta, a quick overview?”</p><p>“Of course!” Entrapta pipes up. “I observed that the resonance of a probe into another dimension that I created had—“</p><p>Glimmer coughs. “Uh, the basic version, please.”</p><p>“Riiiiiiight.” Entrapta frowns. “I was “looking” at other “dimensions”—that’s a different universe—and I saw some “energy” that matched the moonstone! I ran some tests, and it’s Queen Angella!” Entrapta cackles. “It’s amazing what you can find with science!”</p><p>“And she’s...alive?” Mermista asks. </p><p>“I’m 93% sure she is,” Entrapta answers. “With plus/minus two percent margin of error.”</p><p>The room collectively decides to let the concept of a margin of error go. 93% is understandable on its own. </p><p>“So you’re not sure,” Mermista says. “Not completely.”</p><p>“Sure enough to do something,” Glimmer answers. “Sure enough to <em> try. </em>”</p><p>“What kind of thing are you going to try?” Scorpia asks. “Oh, is it a portal again?” She pauses. “That...didn’t work out so well last time. But if anyone can do it I’m sure it’s you!”</p><p>Glimmer nods. “It would be another portal. But we would have safeguards—“</p><p>“Safeguards?” Frosta interrupts. “Last time, it almost ended the <em> world. </em>” </p><p>This throws Glimmer. She regards Frosta as almost a scrappy little sister. She wasn’t expecting to be opposed by her. </p><p>“Well <em> I </em>think we should try it,” Perfuma declares. “If there’s a good chance someone we love is alive, they should be rescued.”</p><p>Glimmer remembers what Bow said earlier. “I know you don’t all love her like I do. But there are good strategic reasons for her to be rescued.”</p><p>Mermista doesn’t seem hostile, but she doesn’t seem accepting, either. “What are they?”</p><p>“Well, my mom has way more experience than anyone else in this room. She ruled Bright Moon for <em> centuries. </em> She could really help guide us with the reconstruction efforts.” Glimmer looks at Netossa and Spinneralla, and then addresses them directly. “I know you guys have been giving us great advice, but no offense, you’ve never ruled your own kingdoms and you’re not <em> that </em> old.”</p><p>Netossa laughs. “Glad to hear it. And no offense taken. What you’re saying makes sense.” She nudges Spinnerella. “What do you think, dear?”</p><p>“I agree,” Spinnerella says. “But the risks would have to be managed.”</p><p>“There’s another strategic reason to do this.” Adora pipes up. “Me, Glimmer, Bow, and Catra need to take a trip to restore magic to the universe at some point. Someone needs to rule Bright Moon while we’re gone. Micah could step up and do it, but Queen Angella has more experience.” </p><p>Glimmer shoots her a grateful look. She hadn’t even thought of that. Adora might not always be the most in touch with feelings, but she’s always there when it counts. </p><p>“Okay, that’s some good reasons,” Mermista says. “But this could still, like, <em> destroy the world.</em>” Frosta nods. They’re the two Glimmer needs to win over. </p><p>“Yes. So like I said, we’re going to be taking precautions.” Seeing Frosta open her mouth, Glimmer holds up a finger. “First and foremost, we’re not going to do this on Etheria. We have a working spaceship. We’ll take it out, and do it in some empty area of space where no one else is at risk.”</p><p>Frosta hums to herself, and nods a little. Glimmer smiles internally. It’s a start. </p><p>“I’m not really up to date on the science,” she continues. “Entrapta, would there be a way to build a portal where the lever works both ways? So it could be closed from the outside?”</p><p>“Hmmmm.” Entrapta scrunches up her face. “Yes...hmmm...if we could incorporate the key to the portal into the lever instead of the portal source then yes, possibly. It’s certainly worth a try! And this time I know to run simulations!”</p><p>“Maybe that’s okay,” Frosta allows. Mermista still looks unconvinced. </p><p>“Okay, but last time, everyone who was in the portal <em> forgot </em> they were,” Mermista points out. “How do you handle that?”</p><p>“Magic,” Glimmer answers. “I think the answer is magic. I’m planning to work with my dad.”</p><p>“That’s a great idea!” Scorpia cheers. “I don’t know much about magic, but I know it’s neat!”</p><p>“So you’re in favor?” Glimmer asks. </p><p>“Of course I am!” Scorpia responds. “You’ve gotta save your mom.” She pauses, uncharacteristically solemn. “I wish I’d had the chance to save my moms.”</p><p>Perfuma puts a gentle hand on her claw. “I’m also in favor,” she says. “I think you should do it.”</p><p>“I’m in,” Adora declares. </p><p>Netossa and Spinnerella look at each other, communicating silently. “We’re in,” Netossa says. “But we’re also going to be <em> planning </em>this. No running off half-cocked this time.”</p><p>“I’m in too! For science!” Entrapta declares. A pause. “And Queen Angella, of course.”</p><p>“I still have reservations,” Frosta says. “But yes. I’ll support it.” She smiles at Glimmer. “The Kingdom of Snow has your back.”</p><p>Everyone looks at Mermista. “<em>Fine,</em>” she huffs. “I’m in. Just don’t be like, stupid about it.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles hugely. “Then it’s decided. We will create a new portal and rescue Queen Angella.”</p><p><em> Tomorrow, </em> she thinks, <em> the real work begins.  </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Glimmer POV! This fic is gonna alternate between Adora, Glimmer, and Catra POV. Also, I was so mad at myself for writing myself into a corner and having to write a scene with ALL the princesses, but I think it came out well.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. First Steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Catra has found that she likes sleeping in, now that she can. Adora teases her about taking “cat naps”, maybe because she’s the one person in Etheria who could get away with that without taking a claw to the face. Still, in the morning the warm sunlight falls on their bed, and while Adora remains an early riser, Catra emphatically does not. </p><p>There’s another reason she doesn’t want to get out of bed this morning. Glimmer was so busy yesterday Catra never got a chance to talk to her. She knows they have to. But she’d almost rather face Shadow Weaver again than talk to Glimmer about her mother. <em> Who’s gone because of me.  </em></p><p>She’s gone. But they can bring her back. They will bring her back. Adora said all the princesses at the meeting voted in favor. They’re gonna do it. </p><p>Catra sighs. In the past, she’d let herself think just the doing was enough. But no, she really does have to <em> talk </em> to Glimmer. There isn’t any sense in putting it off anymore. Catra stretches, and then rolls out of bed. </p><p>Adora left her some breakfast, the rolls with meat and eggs Catra likes. She purrs. Her girlfriend is <em> so </em> sweet. Catra doesn’t know how the Horde didn’t beat it out of her. She’s glad they didn’t. </p><p>Catra does feel a little more ready to face the day after she’s eaten. She licks her lips. <em> Definitely better than ration bars. </em> Even her favorite grey ones had merely been <em> less </em> ugh. </p><p>Catra doesn’t especially want to discuss this with Glimmer in the throne room. The queen isn’t an early riser either, but she might be there. Maybe if Catra hurries, there’s a chance she can still catch Glimmer getting ready for her day.</p><p>Catra really can be quick when she wants to be. It’s one of the things that kept her alive in the Horde—her speed brought her cadet combat scores up just enough that Shadow Weaver couldn’t justify disposing of her. Catra shakes her head. The last thing she needs to be thinking of before this conversation is that old witch. She hates her a little bit for finally saying the words Catra had always wanted to hear before she died. If she hadn’t, Catra could just curse her memory in peace, without any of the conflict that currently stirs in her gut. </p><p><em> Breathe. </em>Perfuma’s advice, as always, is annoyingly good. Catra draws herself up and knocks on Glimmer’s door.</p><p>“Hello?” </p><p>Catra sighs in relief. Glimmer is still here.</p><p>“Hey Sparkles—Glimmer. Could we um, could we talk? Before you go off to the throne room?”</p><p>Glimmer opens the door, looking confused. “Sure. I can spare a few minutes. What’s going on?”</p><p>When Glimmer steps back, Catra comes in. She crosses over to the opposite wall, leaning against it and crossing her arms. After a moment, she uncrosses them: Perfuma has been telling her to have “more open body language” during “moments of vulnerability.”</p><p>“I heard that Entrapta found your mom. Adora said the princesses all voted to try to rescue her.”</p><p>Glimmer’s face closes off, and Catra’s heart starts beating a little faster. They’ve never touched on this. It was a minefield Catra didn’t know existed, and that Glimmer must have just been ignoring, for the sake of their whole friend group (Catra still refuses to call it the Best Friend Squad).</p><p>“Yes,” Glimmer responds. “They did.”</p><p>“I wanted to say I’m sorry.” The words hang between them, the air thick with tension. “I didn’t know that your mom disappeared because of the portal, not until Adora told me a couple days ago. I didn’t know it was my fault. And I’m so, so sorry. There’s nothing I can say that will be good enough, but if I could, I’d go back and undo it.” </p><p>She’d go back and undo so many things.</p><p>“You’re right,” Glimmer says. “Nothing you say will be good enough. You took away my <em> mother. </em> And you can’t undo it.” She pauses and closes her eyes. “But we have a second chance. You can help fix it.” Her eyes open again, staring down Catra, pinning her down with her gaze. “I don’t know that I’ve really forgiven you. I’m glad you said you’re sorry, but it’s something I've just tried to let go of, because Adora loves you. And because...because you really are my friend.”</p><p>“I am?” Catra asks, hating how unsure she sounds.</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah, you are. It started on Horde Prime’s ship, you know? You were the only person I had to talk to, and then you saved me. You thought you would die for it, and you almost did. And then after Adora rescued you, you did everything you could to help us.”</p><p>Catra nods. “I’ve really tried to change. To make things right.”</p><p>Glimmer pauses. “It isn’t just that. I like you for you too, you know. I always thought Adora was crazy for how much she cared about you, no matter what you did. And let me be clear: I’m not Adora. If you went back to being like that, we’d be done. But...you’re smart, and brave, and you make Adora laugh more than anyone else I know. We’re not only friends because we fought in a war together.”</p><p>“I like you too,” Catra admits, uncomfortable. “I was so jealous of you. I hated you, because Adora loved you. I had to learn that Adora could love other people and still love me. And when I got to know you, you were kind and strong. I could see why Adora liked you so much.” She stops. “Why I like you so much.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles. She seems to think about reaching out, but reconsiders when Catra tenses. She still hates being touched by anyone who isn’t Adora.</p><p>“I’d also be kind of a hypocrite if I hated you for pulling that switch,” Glimmer admits. Catra’s eyes widen in confusion. “I was the one who triggered the Heart of Etheria and nearly destroyed us all. I was the reason Horde Prime found us.”</p><p>Catra hadn’t considered that. She'd thought she was the only one of Adora’s friends and loved ones to make such a colossal mistake. </p><p>“I didn’t think about that,” she says. “I guess we’re more alike than either of us would like.”</p><p>“Adora really knows how to pick them,” Glimmer responds. “But it’s not all bad. Both of us are working hard to be better. We’ll get there.”</p><p><em> I hope you’re right, </em>Catra thinks. </p><p>“Step one is rescuing your mom,” she says instead. </p><p>Glimmer nods, resolved. “Yeah. So let’s get to it.” She stops, offering her hand. “Friends?”</p><p>Catra takes it. “Friends, Sparkles.” </p><p>The silence between them after that is the most comfortable it’s been since they first met.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Catra knows she probably shouldn’t go check in on Entrapta and Hordak working on the portal in the ship. Too many memories, too much guilt. It doesn’t help that she’s been studiously avoiding Hordak and the last time she really saw him, they were trying to kill each other. She knows she shouldn’t go, but she can’t stop herself from heading over there anyway. </p><p>Adora finds her while she’s on the way. </p><p>“Hey, where are you going?” she asks. </p><p>“Oh you know. I’m just wandering around,” Catra answers evasively. </p><p>Adora isn’t fooled. “No, you’re not. I haven’t seen you wander around Bright Moon by yourself in the entire time you’ve been living here. You can, by the way. But where are you going now?”</p><p>Catra sighs. “I was going to go see what was going on with the portal.”</p><p>Adora purses her lips. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”</p><p>“No,” Catra says with a bitter laugh. “But I’m going anyway.”</p><p>“Then I’m going with you.”</p><p>“You don’t have to.” Catra’s tail is lashing back and forth, and she hates that tell. “It’s probably not great memories for you either.”</p><p>Adora’s jaw is clenched and her eyes pierce through Catra. It’s a look that Catra knows from long experience means there’s no convincing her otherwise.</p><p>“I’m going with you. You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”</p><p>There won’t be any stopping her. God, but Adora can be so <em> frustrating </em>sometimes. But secretly, part of Catra is glad. She doesn’t want to face this alone, even if this concept of relying on someone else is new and frightening. </p><p>“If you insist,” she says, turning. “Come on.”</p><p>Adora takes her hand, and Catra pretends she isn’t blushing. They walk through the castle and across the grounds to the spaceship together. </p><p>It isn’t hard to find the makeshift lab on the ship. Even without her more sensitive hearing, Catra could hear Entrapta chattering away from a distance easily. </p><p>Before they get there, they run into Hordak, who seems to be going in the direction of the galley, presumably to get Entrapta some tiny food. Catra feels Adora stiffen and her own hackles raise. </p><p>“Hordak,” she says. </p><p>“Catra. And Adora. How...nice...to see you.”</p><p>“The feeling’s mutual,” Catra growls, and Adora squeezes her hand. “If you’ll excuse us, we need to talk to Entrapta.”</p><p>Hordak nods and steps aside. When they walk past him, Catra notices Adora check him with her shoulder, holding her hand protectively. She’s pretty sure it was “accidental.”</p><p>When they walk into the room, time stops. While it doesn’t look like any of the mechanics have been done, they’ve started to build the structure of the portal already. It looks just like the one in the Fright Zone did…</p><p>
  <em> Catra has a stun weapon in her hand, electricity crackling in the air as she shoves it into Entrapta’s back, the sick scent of burning skin in the air. The scientist, her friend, her rival for Hordak’s attention goes stiff and collapses. Guilt presses on her chest even as rage rises inside her, burning her alive.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Catra holds the switch, Adora’s horrified face in front of her. It feels solid in her hand, more real than anything else in the room. She pulls it and tells herself finally, finally beating Adora will be worth oblivion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Catra is falling into the void, being consumed by dark energy crackling across her skin. It creeps over her face, her arm. She won’t go this way, she won’t! She can’t let Adora win. She pulls herself from the pit, the agony of nonexistence swirling around her.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Catra is back in the Fright Zone, Adora’s glare poisonous from across the room. Any chance of reconciliation they had is gone. Catra has torched everything. She tells herself she doesn’t care as she runs… </em>
</p><p>“Catra! Catra!” Adora’s voice sounds like it’s coming from underwater. “Catra, snap out of it!”</p><p>She’s on the floor. How did she get on the floor? Where is she? Why is Adora here, after she ruined everything? Hands on her face snap her out of it, pulling her gaze to Adora’s blue-grey eyes, bright with concern.</p><p>“Adora?”</p><p>“Catra!” Adora embraces her, and Catra stiffens. They’re enemies—no. No, Adora loves her. Adora <em> saved </em> her. Adora is here, and alive, and promised she’d stay. Catra brings her arms back up around Adora, clinging to her shoulders. </p><p>“ ‘M sorry,” she mumbles. “I thought...I thought I was back there, at the portal.”</p><p>Adora pulls back. “I knew coming here was a bad idea. Catra, why did you want to be here?”</p><p>“I had to see,” Catra tries to explain. “I had to see what they were doing. I wanted to make sure that it is possible, that we’ll rescue Angella.”</p><p>“We will,” Adora promises. “We will, but you should stay away from here.”</p><p>“No!” Catra’s fur stands up. “No, I have to be here! I have to figure out how to be okay with being here, so I can go through that portal!”</p><p>“It doesn’t have to be <em> you! </em>I’ll go, I’ve done it before—”</p><p>“It doesn’t always have to be you either!” Catra interrupts angrily. “We’ve gone over this, at the Heart and after. This is my fault, my mistake, and I should be the one to fix it!”</p><p>“It could be both of you!” Entrapta pops up. Catra jumps and Adora turns to glare at the scientist. “There’s a better probability of success if you work as a team.”</p><p>Adora opens her mouth, closes it. She looks angry. In the past, Catra would have poked her in just the spot that would make her explode. Now though, she just wants her to see her point.</p><p>“Entrapta’s right,” she says, forcing herself to be gentle. “If you won’t let me go alone, then don’t you remember we’ve always worked best as a team?”</p><p>Truthfully, Catra would still rather go alone and not put Adora at risk. But she can recognize a lost cause when she sees one...and good sense, too. It probably <em> is </em> better to send two people in to work together.</p><p>Adora looks away. “Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “Fine. We’ll do it together.”</p><p>“Good,” Catra says. “Glad we agree.”</p><p>The resulting awkward silence is broken by Entrapta. “Wonderful! A full consensus. I’ll have to figure this all into my calculations. Adora has a distinct magical signature of course, and we’ll have to account for your unique biology, Catra. A true scientific enterprise!”</p><p>“Thanks, Entrapta,” Catra said. “Could you give us a moment? Please?”</p><p>“Oh!” Entrapta widens her eyes. “Oh, I’m intruding on your romantic intimacy. Excuse me.” She scurries off.</p><p>Catra snorts. <em> Some romantic intimacy. </em></p><p>“Adora…” she says. “Come on. Talk to me.”</p><p>Adora looks back at her. Catra is shocked to see her eyes are teary.</p><p>“Last time you were in the portal, I almost lost you,” Adora says, choking on the words. “The black energy, entropy, whatever it was, I saw it eat you. It never touched me, but it got <em> you. </em>”</p><p>Catra leans against her, wrapping her tail around Adora’s waist. “It won’t this time. Last time...last time, I didn’t care if I lived or not. I wanted to die, I think, even if I wouldn’t admit it. But now, <em> nothing </em> could stop me from fighting my way back to you.”</p><p>Adora laughs, shaky and wet. “I think you proved that at the Heart. I really should learn to trust you.”</p><p>“You should,” Catra acknowledges. <em> But that’s a talk for another day. </em> “Can you trust me now?”</p><p>“Yeah. We’ll do it together.” Adora locks eyes with her. “I love you.” She pushes their foreheads together. “I’ve always loved you, and I’ll learn to trust you again.”</p><p>Catra kisses her, slow and sweet. She can feel Adora melt into it. “We’ll learn to trust each other. And I love you, too.”</p><p>Catra chances another look at the portal. In Adora’s embrace, she stays in the present. She can do this. She hates to admit it, but maybe without Adora, she couldn’t. Maybe then she would drown in her guilt and grief. They’ll do this. They’ll do this together, just like they should have done from the beginning. Lots of people don’t get second chances. Catra won’t waste hers.</p><p>“Let’s go home,” she says. “We can come back here again later.”</p><p>Adora nods. “I’d really like that.”</p><p>Hand-in-hand, they walk back to the castle, and while they’re on their way, Catra realizes it’s the first time she’s called it <em> home. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First time with POV Catra! The conversation with Glimmer is something I really wanted to do, and a talk I thought they really needed to have. And then I just love mutually supportive Catradora :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Preparation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Times passes slowly and swiftly all at once. Adora and Catra visit Entrapta’s lab on the ship regularly. Catra doesn’t have another breakdown, and seems to get more comfortable over time, if still always tense. Adora is glad. The first time they went, Catra’s reaction distracted her from her own feelings, but it’s hard for her to go there too. They hold hands while they’re there, and the comfort keeps her grounded. She thinks it probably keeps Catra grounded too. It’s nice to be good for each other again, after opposing each other for so long. </p><p>Sometimes Bow is there helping Entrapta. He doesn’t have her natural genius for tech, but he’s a talented inventor in his own right, a full member of the Makers Guild now. Adora thinks his levelheadedness sometimes helps reign Entrapta in. </p><p>Catra has seemed more comfortable wandering around Bright Moon lately, and Adora is alone. She thinks about doing some training, but decides instead to seek out Bow and Glimmer. It’s been a while since they hung out, just the three of them. Glimmer is busy being queen, Bow is busy helping Entrapta with the portal, and Adora...well, she’s busy with Catra a lot. They’re making up for lost time. She knows her friends understand, but she also misses them. </p><p>It’s around lunchtime, so Glimmer <em> probably </em> is in the kitchen instead of the throne room. Adora knows she and Bow usually eat lunch together, so it’s worth a shot. </p><p>Sure enough, when she gets to the kitchen, her two friends are there. She notices that they’re sitting closer to each other than usual, and Glimmer even leans in when she laughs. <em> Huh. </em> Something has been up with them since the final battle with Horde Prime, even if Adora can’t put her finger on what it is. But right now, they kinda remind her of her and Catra. </p><p><em> Oh. </em>Adora wonders if she’s intruding, if she should leave. Before she can decide, Bow looks up and notices her. </p><p>“Adora!” he says, grinning. “Good to see you!”</p><p>“You too,” she replies, smiling. “I was actually looking for you guys. I missed you.”</p><p>“Awwww,” Bow says, eyes shining. “We missed you too.”</p><p>Glimmer nods. “Feels like we haven’t hung out in forever, just the three of us.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Adora flushes, puts her hand behind her neck. “We’ve all been so busy.” </p><p>“No time like the present then,” Bow says cheerfully. “Have a seat.”</p><p>She sits across from them, both of them smiling at her. It’s nice. </p><p>“Oh!” Glimmer exclaims. “I bet you’re hungry. I mean, you’re pretty much always ready to eat something. What do you want?”</p><p>“Whatever you’re having is fine.” All the food in Bright Moon is good. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious.”</p><p>Before Adora can even blink, Glimmer disappears and reappears, holding a plate of food. It looks like some kind of flaky meat pie. Adora’s stomach rumbles. Bow and Glimmer laugh good-naturedly. </p><p>“Mmmph,” she mumbles, taking a bite. <em> Delicious. </em>She doesn’t think she’ll ever stop appreciating the food the world outside the Horde has to offer. </p><p>Glimmer laughs. “That’s our Adora.”</p><p>Adora swallows her food with some difficulty, having taken a rather large bite. “So I was wondering...how about we blow off all our responsibilities today, just have a original Best Friends Squad day?”</p><p>“You really <em> have </em>been working on learning how to relax since the war ended,” Bow says. “That sounds good to me.”</p><p>Glimmer scrunches up her face to think for about a second before she replies. “Sounds great! All this totally boring ruling stuff can wait for a day. I could honestly use a break.”</p><p>“Did you have any plans for what to do?” Bow asks. </p><p>“Uh,” Adora says. Okay, so she hasn’t really gotten the hang of this whole R&amp;R thing. She doesn’t think Bow and Glimmer will find sparring an acceptable recreational activity, even though she misses it. She and Catra haven’t really done it since they reconciled. It brings back too many memories of fights meant to hurt. She hopes they can do it again someday though, because she loves how alive and present sparring makes her feel. It was their love language long before they knew what those feelings meant.</p><p>Glimmer and Bow exchange a knowing look and then laugh.</p><p>“We’re already in the kitchen,” Glimmer says. “Ever tried baking?”</p><p>“No,” Adora replies. “I don’t really know how to cook.”</p><p>“Neither does Glimmer,” Bow snorts. “But we do know how to bake cookies.”</p><p>“Not like you can cook very well either,” Glimmer mutters. Bow grins.</p><p>What follows is a sort of organized chaos. Bow and Glimmer rush around, grabbing ingredients, directing Adora to mix that, stir this. Organized chaos becomes completely <em> disorganized </em>chaos the second flour comes out.</p><p>It starts by accident. Adora spills a little flour, getting it on Glimmer’s shoes. </p><p>“Hey!” Glimmer says. “I’m going to get you back for that!”</p><p>Before Adora can defend herself, Glimmer picks up a handful of flour and throws it at Adora. Adora blinks. Well, if that’s how she wants to play it. Adora smushes her hand in the flour and then plants her hand on Glimmer’s shirt, leaving a white hand print.</p><p>“Guys!” Bow says. “You’re making a mess!”</p><p>Glimmer throws a fistful of flour in his face. Bow sputters. “It’s on!” he shouts. “Flour fight!”</p><p>By the time it’s over, Adora, Bow, Glimmer, and the entire kitchen are covered in white powder, the cookies almost entirely forgotten.</p><p>“The cook is going to kill us,” Bow says. </p><p>Adora and Glimmer glance at each other and grin. “Worth it,” they say together.</p><p>They clean up a little, and do end up getting those cookies in the oven. When they come out, they’re the ugliest things Adora has ever seen, but they taste <em> great. </em></p><p>“I love Bright Moon,” she mumbles, her mouth full of cookie.</p><p>“We should save some for Catra,” Bow says.</p><p>The cookies are chocolate chip. <em> Whoops. </em> “Better not,” Adora says. “Catra doesn’t do so good with chocolate.”</p><p>They laugh. </p><p>“We’re all still covered in flour,” Glimmer says. “You know what this calls for?”</p><p>“Swimming!” Bow cheers.</p><p>Adora smiles. She hasn’t gotten to go swimming lately, since Catra hates the water. “Sounds great,” she says.</p><p>They spend their afternoon splashing around in the lake surrounding Bright Moon and sunning themselves on the beach. Adora finds being out on the sand isn’t so bad as long as she isn’t expected to just lie there. Bow shows her how to build something called a “sand castle” and they get into a competition to build the best one. Bow wins easily with a near-perfect replica of Bright Moon.</p><p>When the sun starts going down, they head back in. </p><p>“This was really fun!” Glimmer exclaims. “I missed having days like this.”</p><p>“Me too,” Adora responds. “It took a few years but I think you guys finally taught me how to just have some fun.”</p><p>That prompts a Best Friends Squad group hug, all of them laughing. Adora feels safe and at home. When they go back inside, Adora heads back to her room, Bow and Glimmer going off together.</p><p>Catra is waiting for her. </p><p>“Hey Adora,” she says. “Have a nice day?”</p><p>“Very,” she responds, smiling softly. “I got to spend some time with Bow and Glimmer. It’s been a while since it was just the three of us.”</p><p>Catra’s smile becomes a little strained. “Guess I crashed that party.”</p><p>“It’s not like that!” Adora reassures her. “They all love you. It’s just nice to sometimes get some space, you know?”</p><p>Catra laughs at herself, shaking her head. “Yeah, I know. I had a nice day getting some space too. I just still get a little insecure sometimes, I guess. I’m still learning it’s okay you have people who aren’t me.”</p><p>Adora embraces her. “I have people who aren’t you, and I love them, but you’re still my favorite,” she whispers conspiratorially. “Bow and Glimmer can’t do <em> this. </em>”</p><p>She kisses Catra, holding her in her arms, feeling her relax. The kiss lingers, neither of them wanting to pull away. Finally, the need to breathe takes precedence over the desire to be close.</p><p>“I sure hope they can’t do that,” Catra laughs. “Damn, Adora, where did you learn to do that?”</p><p>“From you,” Adora says shyly. “You know I never did this before with anyone but you.”</p><p>Catra looks surprised. “Really? No one in Bright Moon? That whole time? I knew you didn’t do anything in the Horde, but I thought while you were here, surely someone…”</p><p>“We were at war,” Adora says. “I was busy. Besides, there’s never really been anyone but you.”</p><p>“There wasn’t anyone else for me either,” Catra says. “But that’s probably less surprising. I was pretty horrible to everyone before I defected to join you guys.”</p><p>“Scorpia probably would have,” Adora muses, face thoughtful. “I heard she had a pretty big crush on you.”</p><p>Catra blushes. “I was <em> not </em> ready for that. Besides, it would have been a train wreck. I wasn’t very nice to her either.”</p><p>“Probably. I have to admit...I’m kinda glad.”</p><p>“Were you <em> jealous? </em>” Catra smirks. “Is that part of why you were so mad at Princess Prom?”</p><p>Adora turns crimson. “No! Well okay, maybe a little. It’s just, you looked so stupid good in that suit, and there you were, <em> teasing </em>me, you even danced with me, so maybe I was just a little bit jealous. Just a tiny bit.” She pauses. “Don’t get a big head about it.”</p><p>Catra is laughing. “Too late! You can’t take it back! You were jealous! I made She-Ra jealous!”</p><p>Adora tackles her to the bed. “Only a little!” She runs her fingers over Catra’s sides, tickling.</p><p>Catra’s laughter turns slightly hysterical. “Stop! Stop! Adoraaaaa…” Her voice trails off into a whine.</p><p>Adora collapses on top of her, laughing. “I love you.”</p><p>Catra purrs. “I love you too. Idiot.”</p><p>“You really should get a nicer pet name,” Adora says, mock-serious. “It’s not very nice to call me an idiot.”</p><p>“You love it.”</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>They spend the rest of the night cuddling together, swapping stories and telling jokes. Adora could spend the rest of her life here in this bed. She’s so happy she has all the time in the world to do it.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Entrapta looks at her readings, deep in concentration. They’re so close...the portal should be ready soon. Very soon. Just a little bit more...a little bit…</p><p>“Friend Entrapta!” Wrong Hordak barges in. “I have brought tiny pastries! I made them myself. Without the li—<em> darkness </em> of Prime, I have discovered...hobbies!”</p><p>With some effort, Entrapta switches her mind from tech to food. Her stomach grumbles. It’s probably been a while since she’s eaten. The science was so <em> interesting… </em></p><p>“Thanks Wrong Hordak!” she says. “What kind?”</p><p>“Apple turnovers. They’re flaky and delicious! And tiny.”</p><p>Entrapta pops one in her mouth. They <em> are </em> delicious. “They taste different,” she says. “Baking is a science. What modification did you make to the recipe’s formula?”</p><p>“I added cinnamon to the dough,” he responds proudly. Entrapta nods. A logical addition.</p><p>“It’s great,” she says. “You should give some to Hordak. Regular Hordak, I mean.”</p><p>Wrong Hordak’s ears droop. “I tried. Brother Hordak said he was busy <em> thinking. </em>”</p><p>Entrapta hums. “He can be a little touchy sometimes.”</p><p>“He did not touch me,” Wrong Hordak says. “Just told me to go away.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s an expression!” Entrapta explains. “It confused me too, but Bow explained it means someone is sensitive and angry about it. People can be so strange. If a machine is angry, it’ll just try to attack you!”</p><p>“Oh!” Wrong Hordak smiles. “A new colloquialism. How exciting!”</p><p>Entrapta nods. Wrong Hordak gets it. “It’s always nice to have new social data.”</p><p>Wrong Hodrak looks at the portal. “Is it done?” he asks.</p><p>Entrapta furrows her brow. “I’m very close. The frequency is off by 0.06%, but that alone could tear a hole in the fabric of space and time! A cataclysmic event!” She cackles. “Scientifically interesting, but universe ending! We can’t risk that kind of error!”</p><p>“Is one of the screws loose?” Wrong Hordak says thoughtfully. “Someone said one of my screws was loose.”</p><p><em><strong> Is</strong> one of the screws loose?</em> Entrapta has been focusing so hard on her data, maybe she forgot to triple check the hardware. </p><p>“Hmmmmm.” She hurries over to the portal. Bolt A5 is fine, rivet C7 is good, but oh! It <em> is </em> a screw, screw F10 is juuuuust off it’s thread. “I found it! You were right! A screw is loose!”</p><p>Quickly, Entrapta fixes it, and then runs her data again. </p><p>“The frequency is a 100% match! We’re ready! We can explore space again!” She pauses. “...and rescue Queen Angella, of course.”</p><p>Wrong Hodrak claps, gleeful. “I knew you could do it sister Entrapta!”</p><p>Entrapta smiles. The satisfaction of scientific progress.</p><p>“I should let the others know,” she says. “Excuse me.”</p><p>Entrapta can’t help herself. She runs all the way to Glimmer’s throne room. There’s nothing like the rush of a new invention...or in this case an improvement to an old one.</p><p>“Halt!” says the guard. “What is your business with the queen?”</p><p>“It’s the portal!” Entrapta exclaims. “It’s ready.”</p><p>The guard lets her in. Glimmer is waiting on her throne, and instantly becomes alert as Entrapta enters. </p><p>“Entrapta! Is it ready? Is the portal working?” Glimmer’s hands are white, she’s clutching the throne so hard. Entrapta is 95% sure this indicates a high level of investment.</p><p>“The simulations indicate a 99.4% probability of success,” she replies. “We’re ready! For space!”</p><p>Glimmer takes a deep breath. “Good. Entrapta, I want you to start getting things ready for the journey. Whatever you need, you can have. Tell them you have the queen’s authorization.”</p><p>“Great!” Entrapta pauses, remembering her other responsibility. “What about Hordak?”</p><p>Glimmer’s face hardens. “He’s not coming. I don’t want him to be one of the first things my mom sees. He’ll be temporarily confined to quarters, but I’ll have the guards allow him to take a supervised outdoor walk once a day.”</p><p>Entrapta’s hair droops. “But he’s my lab partner…”</p><p>“You’ll just have to do without him.” Glimmer is using her queen’s voice, the one Entrapta has learned through repeated experimentation means no argument.</p><p>“Okay,” she says. “I can do it.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles at her. “I want us to be ready to go in three days. Can you do that?”</p><p>Three days! Entrapta has so much to do, equipment to pack, lists to make, simulations to program and run...but space! If she gets it done, they’ll be in space!</p><p>“Yes!” she promises.</p><p>“Then it’s time,” Glimmer says, hope shining in her eyes, “to rescue my mother.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is a little bit of a breather chapter before shit gets real again. Plus, I missed BFS shenanigans! Admittedly there is a lot of baking in this chapter. What can I say, my boyfriend has gotten into it and makes me things to have for breakfast every morning. Wrong Hordak is here by his request as well!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Final Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adora has a complicated relationship with space, with the stars. Space is big, it’s empty, it's devoid of life. It’s so, so quiet, and after growing up with all of the constant whirring machinery of the Horde and living in the beating heart of Bright Moon, the silence is foreign. Sometimes the stillness and the silence makes her just <em> itch </em> to do something, because she’s never in her life known what it’s like to just <em> be. </em> And the stars…the stars remind her of the duty she can’t put down, her responsibility to restore magic to the universe. She’s been taking some time to rest and recover, to rebuild Bright Moon, but the entire universe is waiting. Sometimes she can’t wait to see it. Other times she wishes she could have one place to just <em> stay. </em></p><p>But she does have one person who will just stay with her. And it’s someone she lost on Etheria, and found again in space. Space was where she and Catra began to rebuild their relationship, tentatively, carefully. Adora wonders if they could have even begun to have those first fragile days on Etheria, where there is almost nowhere they can escape their history and memories. They’d fought each other in just about every place Adora has ever been. But space...that had been a blank page. A place to start.</p><p>And now it’s a place to continue. She, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, and Entrapta are on their third day of their voyage, off to the emptiest piece of space they can find. Micah had stayed behind after a tearful conversation with Glimmer, understanding that someone needed to rule Bright Moon in her absence, and that the shock of seeing the husband Angella thought long-dead might not be what is best for her after being rescued from a dimension they know very little about. Adora doesn’t know if she would have had the strength to stay away if she were in his position, if it were Catra. She hopes she never has to know.</p><p>Adora shakes her head, stepping away from the viewport. She’d just been taking a few minutes to herself before their Big Planning Meeting. She half-regrets sending Catra off to join them alone, but she had needed to take a moment to herself. She takes a breath in, exhales. She has to be the one to go into the portal alone. The more people go, the greater the risk someone doesn’t come back. Surely she can make them see that. She’s the one who left Angella behind in the first place.</p><p><em> It doesn’t always have to be you </em> echoes in her head, in Catra’s voice. <em> You are worth more than what you can give other people</em>, she hears, this time Mara. She’d learned that lesson at the Heart, hadn’t she? This is, it’s just a one-off situation, she tells the voices in her head. It’s just what makes sense this time. The restore-magic-to-the-universe road trip, that will be a group effort. It’s just this once, just this mission.</p><p>Adora almost, almost believes it.</p><p>Everyone is already there when Adora walks in, sitting in the chairs they’d dragged into this makeshift planning room. They all smile at her, and Adora smiles back, hoping it doesn’t look as nervous as it feels. From the inquiring look Catra shoots her as Adora takes her place at her side, Adora thinks it probably did.</p><p>“Okay,” Glimmer says. “Everyone’s here. We all know the basics: open the portal, find my mom, bring her out, close the portal. But we have to figure out exactly how all that works.” She glances at Bow. “Or so I’ve been told.”</p><p>Bow smiles, and gives her hand a squeeze. It had just been resting on top of Glimmer’s on the table, Adora realizes. Now when did that start?</p><p>“I know we all like to dive in head-first,” Bow says. “But like Glimmer said, we need a plan. The first thing to decide is who goes through.”  He pauses. “We’ll all be in danger, but that will be the most dangerous.”</p><p>“Me,” Adora says, before anyone else can. “It should be me.”</p><p>“Why you?” Glimmer asks. Adora feels her eyes widen. She didn’t expect the objection to come from Glimmer. She expected to come from—</p><p>“Yeah, Adora, why you?” Catra follows up. <em> There it is. </em> “I asked you this before, and it looks like I’ll probably end up asking you <em> again, </em> but why is it always you?”</p><p>“I’m She-Ra.”</p><p>“And I’m the queen, and a princess, and getting to be a pretty powerful magic-user,” Glimmer replies. “This is my <em> mom. </em> We can’t just do something because it’s what we always do.”</p><p>“We have to do what makes sense,” Bow agrees. “So give us your reasons.”</p><p>“Uh,” Adora starts. She'd figured “I’m She-Ra” would be a good enough answer. Apparently not. “Um...”</p><p>“Did you propose this method without any <em> theory </em> behind it?” Entrapta asks, scandalized. “That is not the way to plan a successful operation!” </p><p>Adora groans. Great, she’s offended Entrapta’s scientific principles. And from the way Catra is clenching her jaw, Adora is pretty sure she’s stepped in something there, too. </p><p>“I’m the one who was in the portal before,” Adora says. “I’m the one who mostly kept their head.”</p><p>“So did I,” Catra scoffs, “it’s just that what was in my head was beating you at all costs, and that was kind of crazy.”</p><p>“Besides,” Glimmer says, “we worked out magic to help with that, remember?”</p><p>“I’m one of our best fighters,” Adora continues. “We don’t know what’s in there.”</p><p>“You are,” Bow nods. “But we all know how to fight.”</p><p>“I don’t!” Entrapta interjects. “But I’m not going into the portal anyway.”</p><p>Bow sighs. “<em>Most </em>of us know how to fight.”</p><p>Adora isn’t getting anywhere with logic. Admittedly, she didn’t really take the time to think through the logic. But maybe the truth will work.</p><p>“I have to do this.” Adora looks down at her hands. “I’m the last one who was with her. I’m the one that let her go and take my place. I <em> have </em> to bring her back.”</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault!” Catra bursts out. “Don’t do this again—”</p><p>“Stop.” Glimmer slams her hands down on the table. “This isn’t about blame. We’ve already done that, and it didn’t help. This is my mom. <em> I </em>should go in after her!”</p><p>There’s a silence in the room, until Bow is the one with the courage to say what they’re all thinking. </p><p>“Glimmer, you can’t,” he says gently, taking her hand again. “I’m really sorry, but you’re the only spellcaster we have. We have to have you here on the outside, keeping the magic stable. You’re one of the two people who absolutely can’t go into the portal.”</p><p>Glimmer clenches her jaw, tears gathering in her eyes. “I know,” she says angrily. “I know!” She looks at Bow, who holds her gaze steadily. Slowly, the tension leaves her body. “I just...I wish it could be me.”</p><p>Bow pulls her into a side hug, and Glimmer lets him. Adora looks away. </p><p>“Who’s the other person who can’t go?” Entrapta asks. “None of my simulations saw any danger with anyone in particular going through.”</p><p>“You, obviously,” Catra says, rolling her eyes. “We need you out here doing all the tech stuff with the stupid portal.”</p><p>“Ohhhhhh,” Entrapta says. “Right.”</p><p>“So it can’t be her and it can’t be me,” Glimmer reminds them. “That leaves Adora, Bow, and Catra. Adora, we know you think you should go. And maybe it isn’t a bad idea.”</p><p>“It isn’t?” Adora asks, surprised. “I thought you guys were all arguing against it.”</p><p>“No, we were looking for your reasons,” Glimmer says. “And your feelings still aren’t a <em> good </em> reason, by the way. That doesn’t mean you’re not still our hardest hitter.”</p><p>Adora grins with pride. “Then it’s settled then!”</p><p>“No,” Catra growls, “it’s not! You still don’t have to go in by yourself!”</p><p>“Each person is another risk—” Adora starts.</p><p>“Catra is right,” Bow cuts her off. “You’re not going in alone. I’ll come with you.”</p><p>“No, I will!” Catra argues. “I know her the best and I’ve fought with her the longest!”</p><p>“My mom doesn’t even know you’re on our side!” Glimmer throws up her hands. “If she sees you, she’ll freak out!” </p><p>“And I can help Adora just as well as you can,” Bow says. “I’m her friend too.”</p><p>“We’re not just <em> friends,</em>” Catra hisses.</p><p>Adora thinks it’s going to get ugly if she doesn’t step in <em> now. </em></p><p>“It’s not a competition!” she exclaims. “Catra, I’m sorry, they’re right, Angella <em> will </em> panic if she sees you. She’ll think you’re part of the Horde!”</p><p>Catra looks utterly betrayed, and Adora’s heart clenches. She hates to hurt her. But it doesn’t change the fact that she’s right.</p><p>“Actually…” Entrapta starts, uncharacteristically hesitant. “All this makes very good logical sense, but...I need a lab assistant to keep this running. And you all said I couldn’t bring Hordak.”</p><p>Silence. “Why,” Glimmer grinds out, “did you not tell us this <em> before </em>we left for space?”</p><p>“I tried!” Entrapta cries. “But you used your no argument voice! All my data suggests there’s no moving you once you use that tone.”</p><p>Glimmer runs her hand over her face, clearly struggling to compose herself. “Entrapta, next time, if it’s <em> literally a matter of life and death, </em> you argue with me, no matter <em> what </em> your data says!”</p><p>Bow sighs. “It’s too late. I’m the only one here with enough tech background to be able to assist Entrapta. It’s going to have to be Catra going with Adora.”</p><p>Adora looks at Catra. Catra holds her gaze, almost challenging. Adora is the first one to look away. </p><p>“Okay,” she says. “Me and Catra. We’ll go in and rescue Angella together.”</p><p>Glimmer takes a deep breath. “Yeah. Adora and Catra. It’ll...it’ll work out. You guys have been working together since before you could walk.” She looks at them with a slow, small smile. “If anyone can save my mom, I know you two can.”</p><p>“We’ll do it,” Adora promises. </p><p>“I won’t come back without your mom, Glimmer,” Catra says. Adora hears Glimmer inhale sharply. Catra means this.</p><p>“You’ll <em> all </em> come back,” Bow says. “We’re the Best Friends Squad. We don’t just sacrifice each other.” Is Adora imagining the way his gaze sharpens when he turns to her, when he turns to Catra? “Not for anything.”</p><p>“Not even…” Glimmer pauses. “Not even for my mom. You two have to come back.”</p><p>Under the table, Catra takes Adora’s hand. “We came back from the Heart,” she says. “We’ll come back from this.” Her hand tightens enough that her claws dig into Adora. “No big stupid hero moments.”</p><p>They all laugh, and the tension is broken. The rest of the meeting passes quickly, just technicalities.</p><p>By the time they leave, Adora is practically thrumming with energy. She needs somewhere to channel it. </p><p>“Hey,” she says, nudging Catra as they walk out. “Wanna spar?” </p><p>Catra hesitates. While they’ve been doing this a little, it only started recently, shortly before they left for space. It was too hard to practice their skills like this at first, too many memories of fighting each other for real, fighting with the intent to hurt. But Adora always loved sparring with Catra, their almost-rhythmic back-and-forth making her blood sing. She thinks that maybe the way she first said “I love you” to Catra, when they were young and in the Horde, before they could ever even think the words, was stepping closer with each deflect, until it was hard to tell where she ended and Catra began. And so they’ve been working, finding a way to be able to speak this language to each other again.</p><p>“Yeah,” Catra says, “okay, I could blow off some steam.”</p><p>Adora grins. “Race you there!”</p><p>Admittedly, the run to the room they’ve cleared out as a little exercise area is not long. Catra beats her anyway.</p><p>“Admit it,” she says, irritatingly not even short of breath. “I’m <em> always </em> gonna beat you.”</p><p>Adora laughs. “You just wait.”</p><p>“For what?” Catra grins slyly. “You to magically become faster? Oh wait.” Her smirk widens. “You already did that. And it <em> didn’t work. </em>”</p><p>Adora tackles her, and it begins. Catra uses the momentum of the tackle to pull Adora into a roll, breaking free and springing to her feet. Adora is up just as quickly, swinging a kick that Catra deflects aside with a casual flick of her forearm. Catra throws a punch, Adora dodges. They know each other’s moves so well they can almost tell what the other will do before she does it. They trade blows, all glancing and none really even meant to find their mark, breathing hard and eyes alight. There has never been anyone else that knows Adora so well this way. Not anyone but Catra. </p><p>“That the best you got?” Adora challenges, taking a step back. “Or am I gonna have to go at it alone to get a good workout?”</p><p>Something changes in the air, and then Catra is coming at her faster, harder. Adora is firmly on the defensive as Catra pushes forwards, a jab, a kick, a punch throwing her off-balance. There’s no opportunity to get in a blow of her own, not unless she gets under Catra’s defenses and tags her for real, and Adora doesn’t want to do that. She finds herself backed up against the cold metal wall. </p><p>“Catra!” she shouts, grabbing the hand that had been coming towards her. “What is going <em> on?” </em></p><p>“You can’t keep doing things alone!” Catra yells back, lunging forward and pinning Adora to the wall. “You can’t keep doing it all yourself!”</p><p>Adora’s eyes widen, Catra’s face inches from hers. Almost at once, Catra seems to realize the position they’re in, and quickly backs away, arms wrapping around herself. </p><p>“Catra…” Adora breathes. “I was just joking.”</p><p>“But you <em> weren’t.” </em>Catra looks at her, eyes pleading. “Today, you were arguing that you should go into that portal alone. I thought...I thought we left this behind at the Heart.” Her back straightens, tail bushy. “I thought you were over the suicidal, self-sacrificing hero thing!”</p><p>Adora sucks in a breath. “I never wanted to <em> die.” </em></p><p>“But you were willing to! And you didn’t fight it. Not as hard as I know you can! I know you, Adora, I know better than <em> anyone </em> how stubborn you can be and how hard you can fight. And then today I see you drowning in your guilt about Queen Angella and taking that all on your shoulders <em> again, </em> planning to go off alone.” Catra stops a moment, visibly pulling herself together. “The last time we talked about this, you said it wasn’t important that you were almost the one that got stranded in the portal. We put off talking about it then, but we’re going to talk about it <em> now.” </em></p><p>Adora remembers. She’d hoped Catra didn’t. But she owes it to her to have this conversation with her.</p><p>“Okay,” she says. “Okay. But why don’t we go somewhere more private than here?”</p><p>“First good idea you’ve had all day,” Catra grumbles, but Adora can see her relax a little bit. She’s probably relieved Adora did agree to actually talk about it.</p><p>By unspoken agreement, they walk back to their bedroom on the ship, close but not touching. When they get in there, Adora wishes they had some chairs, but they’re traveling in space. Decor is by necessity pretty minimalist. They both settle down on the bed.</p><p>Catra speaks first. </p><p>“Don’t you realize I have to do this for the same reasons you do? The guilt, the responsibility? But in my case, it’s actually true! It <em> was </em> my fault. And so I have to do this for the same stupid, noble reasons. And I really do feel them. The only reason I can even look at Glimmer right now when I know I’m the reason her mom is gone is that I know I can help bring her back. But the other reason I have to go is <em> you.” </em></p><p>“Me?” Adora asks, confused. “Why me?”</p><p>“Because you still don’t think you’re important.” Catra moves closer to her, wraps an arm around her waist, and starts talking as Adora opens her mouth to speak. “No, hey, listen to me, okay? I don’t mean strategically important, I don’t mean the big hero She-Ra who saves the day, I mean you, Adora, the woman I fell in love with.”</p><p>Adora closes her mouth, and then her eyes, leaning against Catra. <em> You are worth more than you can give to other people… </em></p><p>“Mara tried to tell me that,” she says. “Or, at least, my mind’s projection of Mara? I don’t know, I don’t really get it. I’m trying to learn it, I am.”</p><p>“You have a whole lifetime working against you,” Catra sighs. “All that stuff Shadow Weaver put in your head, all those times you really did have the whole world, the whole universe, on your shoulders.” Adora’s eyes are open now, but not seeing much. She can feel the reassuring warmth of Catra against her as the other woman pauses. </p><p>“Do you know when I knew I wanted to spend my whole life with you?” Catra asks.</p><p>“No,” Adora replies, puzzled, looking up at her. </p><p>“We were eight. You’d just found a new “secret passageway” into the kitchen, and I already knew about it but you were so excited I didn’t want to tell you. Your eyes were shining and you were already planning on how we’d eat the grey ration bars until we got sick, and you were laughing with a stupid little snort, and all I could think was I wanted to spend my life like that, laughing with you.”</p><p>“Catra…”</p><p>“I didn’t know what it meant then. I wouldn’t admit what it meant for a lot longer than that. But it was you I fell in love with, not some hero, not a Force Captain or Princess or anything. Just you.”</p><p>Tears slip out of Adora’s eyes. She knows, she <em> knows </em> that Catra loves her, has always seen her, just as she is. But it helps to hear it, just the same.</p><p>“I love you too.”</p><p>“Then stay with me. I know our lives are dangerous, I know there’s probably going to be more fighting, definitely more adventures. But don’t do it alone. Do it with me. Okay?”</p><p>Adora sits up, out of Catra’s embrace, so she can take her hands and look her in the eyes. </p><p>“Okay. I...I mean something. To you, and...and to myself. I’m still learning it. But I’ll stay with you, and you’ll keep reminding me, right?”</p><p>Catra laughs. “As many times as it takes to get it through your thick head.”</p><p>Adora kisses her, and Catra kisses back, soft and sweet. </p><p>“You know you deserve this too, right?” Adora asks. “To be here with me, with all of us?”</p><p>Catra shakes her head. “What I <em> deserve </em>is to be in prison. But I’ll keep making the most of the second chance I got, until the good really does outweigh the bad I’ve done.”</p><p>Adora turns her head to her, looks Catra in the eye.</p><p>“No. You did some really bad things. But you’re not a bad person. You’re sharp and prickly, but you’re also brave and selfless, and I couldn’t have saved Etheria without you. It’s not about what you’ve <em> done. </em> It’s about who you <em> are.” </em></p><p>Catra looks down. “Then I hope I’m the person you think I am.”</p><p>Adora pulls her in. “I know you are. You keep reminding me I have value, and I’ll keep reminding you you’re a good person. Deal?”</p><p>Catra squeezes her. “Deal.”</p><p>It doesn’t take long until they’re lying in each other’s arms. Adora thinks about staring out the viewport at the vastness of space earlier, alone, and knows that being in this tiny room, together, is better than all the stars put together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, another Adora chapter! There's no set POV structure, just who it needs to be when I need them. And Adora is my girl :')</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Coming Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the day before they go to rescue her mother, and Glimmer is humming with nervous energy. She’s tried to look at the spellbooks she got from her dad, but she can’t focus, reading the same sentence three times over before realizing she didn’t take in any of it at all. Far from the Moonstone and her ability to recharge from it, her princess powers are actually pretty low, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling as vividly <em> awake </em> as she does when she’s at full power.</p><p>She paces in her room, back and forth, back and forth. She can’t stay here. She needs something to <em> do. </em> With a sigh, Glimmer decides to go check on the portal. Just in case.</p><p>Glimmer is so wrapped up in her anxious thoughts that she’s barely paying attention to where she’s going. She walks straight into Bow in the corridor, right outside Adora and Catra’s room.</p><p>“Oh!” she says. “Sorry! I uh, wasn’t looking where I was going.” </p><p>Glimmer looks down. She’d grabbed onto Bow’s arms when she’d hit him and she’s still holding him. Inexplicably nervous, she quickly drops her hands. </p><p>“Oh, um, it’s okay,” Bow says, touching one arm where Glimmer had been holding it, seemingly unconsciously. “Distracted?”</p><p>Glimmer laughs nervously. “Yeah. Just, you know, big day tomorrow.” </p><p>When did she get this awkward around Bow? And is it just her, or are his cheeks a little red?</p><p>“Definitely,” he says. “Were you—”</p><p>“I’m—” she says, at the same moment.</p><p>“Oh, sorry,” they both say at once, then they lapse into a brief silence, each waiting for the other to speak.</p><p>Glimmer opens her mouth, and then she hears Catra clear her throat.</p><p>“Hey, Sparkles,” Catra says, leaning casually against the door frame of her room. “Sorry to interrupt this <em> scintillating </em>conversation, but you got a minute?”</p><p>“How long have you been there?” Glimmer asks, face heating up.</p><p>“Long enough.” Catra grins lopsidedly. “You don’t mind if we have a little girls’ talk, do you, Arrow Boy?”</p><p>Bow laughs nervously. “Ha, yeah, no problem! No problemo. I’m just gonna...go somewhere else.” He beats a pretty hasty retreat. <em> Traitor, </em> Glimmer thinks.</p><p>“So,” Catra says. “Adora’s out working off all her pre-mission energy with a punching bag, like she’s been doing since we were kids. Want to come in?”</p><p><em> No, </em> Glimmer thinks. “Sure,” she says.</p><p>“There’s not really anywhere to sit,” Catra says, gesturing around the small bunkroom. “So I hope your royal highness is okay with sitting on the floor.”</p><p>Glimmer snorts and sits down on the floor cross-legged. “You and I both know I’ve had conversations in a lot rougher places than a tiny bedroom in a spaceship.”</p><p>“And better this spaceship than the one where we had our first real conversations,” Catra replies, face darkening before she seems to shake it off. “But anyway. That’s not what I wanted to talk about.”</p><p>“What <em> did </em> you want to talk about?” Glimmer really isn’t sure. They’ve already had it out about her mom and the portal, and besides, Catra seems too relaxed for anything life-or-death. For one thing, her tail is just curled lightly around herself from where she sits on the floor, not thrashing around or bushy. Glimmer knows Catra <em> hates </em>how much of a tell her tail is, and that’s half the reason Glimmer loves being able to tell her mood from it.</p><p>“You, stupid,” Catra says, pointing with one claw. “Well, you and a certain archer. God, you’re as dense as Adora.”</p><p>“Hey!” Glimmer says, offended. “I’m <em> way </em>better with feelings than Adora.”</p><p>Catra raises an eyebrow. “So what were you doing out there in the corridor, then?”</p><p>“I—talking to Bow. Obviously. Did you suddenly lose that extra-special feline hearing you’re always bragging about?” Noticing her arms are crossed, Glimmer huffs and uncrosses them. No use <em> looking </em> defensive.</p><p>“Oh no, I heard everything all right. Even before I opened the door, thank you. You used a whole lot of words to say nothing at all, princess.”</p><p>“Technically it’s queen,” Glimmer replies, aware she’s deflecting. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to eavesdrop?”</p><p>Catra laughs. “Thought you knew me well enough to know I don’t really care about being <em> rude.” </em></p><p>Yeah, okay. Glimmer <em> does </em> know Catra well enough to know she doesn’t care about being rude. Anyone who has ever <em> met </em> Catra would be aware of that. </p><p>“Well,” Glimmer says, scowling, “yeah. You’re rude, that’s been established. But what are you being rude about right <em> now?” </em></p><p>“You and Bow. Duh.” Catra wipes the smirk off her face. “Seriously,” she says, suddenly a bit less sharp, “what’s going on with you guys? You’ve got this weird tension between you. Anyone with eyes could see it. It kind of reminds me of how me and Adora used to be...except you’re not trying to kill each other.” Catra looks thoughtful. “Yet. Poor communication really is a killer, you know?”</p><p>“We’re not going to try to kill each other!” Glimmer says, throwing her hands in the air. “But you’re right. Things have been a little tense since that last battle with Horde Prime. I just didn’t think anyone else would have picked up on it.”</p><p>“So did something happen there?” Catra asks. “I mean, you know me and Adora finally had our big moment and got it all out and saved the universe and stuff. You guys have something similar go on?”</p><p>Glimmer hesitates. Catra is part of the Best Friend Squad now, and they’ve definitely had a few heart-to-hearts, and she trusts her, but...well, Catra isn’t really the person she thought she would talk this over with. <em> If </em>she talked it over with anyone, which she wasn’t really planning on. Then again...her other option is Adora. And Glimmer loves Adora wholeheartedly, but Catra kinda had a point when she said the other woman was dense. Glimmer sighs. There’s nothing else for it, then.</p><p>“I told him I loved him,” she admits. “And he said he loved me back, and kissed me on the forehead.” She chances a look at Catra. For once there’s no smirk, no blasé attitude. Just the face of someone doing their best to listen. “And then...nothing changed!”</p><p>“Well, that’s kinda not true,” Catra says. “Things got weird and tense. Not <em> bad,” </em> she hurriedly adds, “but like you’re kinda dancing around each other.”</p><p>Glimmer buries her head in her hands. “We <em> are,</em>” she moans. “But I don’t know what to do.”</p><p>“Things would have been a lot easier between me and Adora if we’d just talked to each other,” Catra says. “Whole lot of shit could have been avoided, probably. What you and Bow have is <em> way </em> less of a disaster than our whole mess was, but honestly? Just telling Adora how I felt was probably the best thing I ever did.”</p><p>Glimmer looks back up. Catra is looking at her steadily, not judging, just...paying attention. “I thought I did,” Glimmer says. “By telling him I loved him.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay, that’s true. But did you tell him what you wanted to <em> do </em> with that? I mean I just straight-up kissed Adora, and that definitely got my message across. Not that you should like, just stroll up and plant one on him.” Catra pauses, grinning. “Although I’d love to see the look on his face. But “I love you” can mean a lot of different things. Maybe he just needs you to tell him which version of it you were saying.”</p><p>“I’m scared,” Glimmer admits. “What we have now works. It’s worked our whole lives. What if things get weird, or feel wrong?”</p><p>“He’s probably scared too. And things could go wrong, I guess. But do you really think they will?”</p><p>Glimmer hums to herself, considering. “No. I guess I don’t. When I’m thinking about it rationally, anyway.” It’s her turn to grin at Catra. “But you know that’s not always my strong suit.”</p><p>“Join the club,” Catra says, flicking an ear. “Look, sometimes you just gotta take the plunge. I’m really glad I did.”</p><p>“When did you get so good at this?” Glimmer asks, genuinely curious. “No offense, but you handled your feelings worse than literally anyone I’ve ever met for most of the time I knew you.”</p><p>Catra huffs out a breath. “When I realized I actually had to work on it, or things would never work out between me and Adora. I wanted to be with her more than I wanted to hide from all the things about myself I didn’t want to see. And, to be honest, I didn’t want to be the person I was anymore for myself too. Perfuma’s been helping.”</p><p>“Miracle worker,” Glitter mutters, and Catra shoots her a mock glare. “Seriously, Catra...thanks.”</p><p>Catra looks away. “Yeah, no problem. Just...trying out this whole being a good friend thing.”</p><p>Glimmer reaches out to put her hand on top of Catra’s. Catra stiffens, then relaxes, looking back at her. </p><p>“You’re doing a pretty good job.”</p><p>They exchange soft smiles, and then Catra pushes her a little bit. </p><p>“Okay, come on, enough of the mushy stuff! Go get your guy!”</p><p>Glimmer shoves her back, noticing that this kind of rough playing seems to startle Catra less than her gentle touch had just a few moments before. That’s a question she’s not sure she wants the answer to. </p><p>“Okay, okay,” she laughs, “I’m going.”</p><p>And she does. But she isn’t quite sure where Bow has gone. She checks his room, the kitchen, and the makeshift exercise area (Adora doesn’t know where he is either, as it turns out). Finally, she finds him at the bridge.</p><p>“The ship’s on autopilot right now, you know,” she says, walking in.</p><p>Bow turns around. “I know,” he says, smiling. “But I like the view.”</p><p>Glimmer steps next to him and looks out the viewport. It really <em> is </em> something to see, the void with a million billion stars twinkling in it. It took her a little while to feel comfortable in space, seeing as her first experience with it was on Horde Prime’s ship, but now she can appreciate the beauty of it. </p><p>“So what did Catra want?” Bow asks. </p><p>“To talk about my feelings,” Glimmer responds, turning towards him.</p><p>“<em>Really?” </em> Bow’s eyebrows shoot up. “<em>Catra </em> wanted to talk about <em> feelings?” </em></p><p>“I felt about the same way,” Glimmer laughs. “But she really did.”</p><p>“So...what are your feelings, the ones Catra apparently wanted to talk about?”</p><p>She’s not going to get a better opening than this.</p><p>“They were...my feelings about you, actually.” Glimmer can feel herself blushing, but she doesn’t look away. An answering blush is blooming on Bow’s cheeks. “Do you remember when I told you I loved you during the battle with Prime?”</p><p>“Of course,” Bow breathes. “I’d never forget it.”</p><p>“I meant that I loved you, um, romantically.” Glimmer reaches out and takes his hand. “Like, you know, that I wanted to be with you. Like boyfriend-girlfriend. Like that.”</p><p>Glimmer is sure she’s never been redder. Bow’s eyes have gone wide.</p><p>“I um, hoped you did,” he responds. “But I just...I don’t know, everything happened so fast. We said that, both of us, and then the battle went back on to raging and we were fighting and it was crazy. And then it was over but there were a million people to talk to and celebrations to have and by the time all <em> that </em> was over...I felt funny about not talking to you yet, and I didn’t know how to start.” He laughs, kind of awkwardly. It’s charming. “I know I’m usually the talk about your feelings guy, but you’re my best friend, and I was just so afraid of getting it wrong. I didn’t want to mess things up between us.”</p><p>“Neither did I.” Glimmer squeezes his hand. “But Catra pointed out we were being weird already. She’s really annoyingly perceptive sometimes.”</p><p>Bow squeezes back. “I guess I owe her a thank-you. It has been kinda weird, hasn’t it?”</p><p>“Yeah. But now we’re talking.” Glimmer pauses, unsure. “Is it still weird?”</p><p>“No.” Bow pulls her closer with the hand he’s already holding. They’re standing closer together than they really ever have. “It’s good. Do you mind if I…” His eyes drop to her lips.</p><p>“No,” Glimmer breathes out. “I don’t mind.”</p><p>Bow kisses her. It’s soft, and sweet, and everything Glimmer ever dreamed of. His hand comes up to cradle her face, and she wraps her arms around his neck. She doesn’t know how long they stay there like that. It feels like forever and an instant, all at once.</p><p>She pulls back. “Okay,” she whispers. “I’m glad we did that.”</p><p>Bow pulls her close into a hug. “Me too.”</p><p>“So, this means we’re together, right?” Glimmer asks. “Just to be like, completely sure.”</p><p>Bow kisses the top of her head. It’s just like last time, except now Glimmer is more sure of what it means. “Yeah,” he says, “as long as you want to be.”</p><p>“I definitely want to be.”</p><p>They don’t need to talk any more after that. Tomorrow is a big day, one of the biggest days of Glimmer’s life if everything works like it should. They’re leaping into the unknown, and the stakes are high, the consequences potentially disastrous. But here, now, Glimmer feels safe and quiet in Bow’s arms. They stand together watching the stars, and Glimmer lets herself lean into the comfort, knowing that whatever happens, she won’t face the portal alone.</p><p>She’ll face it with the people she loves, and they’ll all come out of it together. They’re the Best Friends Squad, and nothing in the universe can stop them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Last chapter before the portal! Just a quiet little breather for our favorite archer and sparkle princess to finally talk about their feelings. And I just really love the Glimmer and Catra friendship.</p><p>Also, proof I can write something that ISN'T angsty.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Portal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Catra wakes up before “dawn”—or rather, 0600 on the ship, since there’s no such thing as a sunrise in space. Today is the day she and Adora go through the portal. Turning to her side, she can see Adora next to her, chest rising and falling in slumber. As Catra moves to get off the bed, however, Adora’s eyes snap open and her whole body tenses, instantly alert. They still both sleep like soldiers.</p><p>“Catra?” she asks, voice rough with sleep but eyes clear. “What time is it?”</p><p>“Early. You can go back to sleep. We still have a couple hours before we need to be up and ready to go for the mission.”</p><p>Adora hums. “Mmm. But you’re not going back to sleep, are you?”</p><p>Catra runs a hand through her hair. It’s growing out, starting to get thick and wild, in the awkward stage between short and shoulder-length. “No,” she admits. “I’m too...nervous. About the portal, and everything.” </p><p>Admitting her nerves still isn’t easy. But she’s working on it.</p><p>Adora pushes herself up to a sitting position, gently laying a hand on Catra’s back as she sits half-off the bed. “Yeah,” she says. “I’m nervous too. Everything that went on there last time...it was one of the worst days of my life.”</p><p>Guilt presses in on Catra’s chest, and she can feel her ears drooping. “I’m sorry. Adora, I’m really sorry.”</p><p>“No, that’s not what I meant!” Adora says hurriedly. “I’ve already forgiven you for that. It was just really scary, and as the portal ate up reality, I lost everyone I loved. Even you.”</p><p>Catra laughs bitterly. “I think I lost myself. But you won’t lose me this time, I promise. You won’t lose <em> anyone.” </em></p><p>Adora breathes deeply and closes her eyes. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. We don’t do that anymore.”</p><p>“Then I’ll just have to keep this one,” Catra replies, letting herself lean back a little against Adora. “At least we’re going in together this time.”</p><p>Adora kisses her shoulder. “Yeah. I’m glad I won’t be alone.”</p><p>“Never again. You never have to do all this alone ever again.”</p><p>Catra feels Adora rest her chin on her shoulder. “I’ll keep trying to remember that,” Adora says. “And you don’t have to do things alone anymore either.”</p><p>Catra turns her head and kisses Adora’s temple. “Maybe I won’t sleep,” she says, “but we can at least lie down and rest.”</p><p>Adora hums in agreement, and Catra finds herself lying in her girlfriend’s arms, safe...for now.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“The portal is ready,” Entrapta says. “At least on the tech end.”</p><p>Bow taps his data pad. “I’ve checked too. It should be good.”</p><p>“I’m ready to do the spells,” Glimmer adds. “It should keep your minds clear.”</p><p>“Good,” Adora says. “We’re ready too.” She glances at Catra, and Catra nods. She’s as ready as she’ll ever be.</p><p>Glimmer stands in front of her and Adora and draws a very complex geometric symbol in the air. It glows pink with her magic, and when it passes through Catra, it feels like she’s been swept into a warm breeze. She hopes this works.</p><p>Glimmer is biting her lip. Catra takes a step towards her and notices Adora doing the same. Adora is the first to speak.</p><p>“We’ll bring her back. Next time you see us, we’ll have your mom.”</p><p>“Just make sure you come back,” Glimmer replies. “I...please, just come back.”</p><p>“You know it takes more than that to get rid of us,” Catra says. “All three of us, we’ll be here.” There isn’t any other acceptable outcome.</p><p>Glimmer rushes forward and pulls her and Adora into a hug. Catra stiffens, and then accepts it. A few seconds later she feels Bow joining in.</p><p>“Nothing can stop the Best Friends Squad,” he says. “Be safe.”</p><p>They break apart. Catra and Adora step in front of the portal, hand in hand.</p><p>“We’ll be monitoring you the whole time,” Entrapta says. “We can’t communicate, but we should be able to adjust the resonances a little while you’re in there to make it stable for longer. According to my calculations, we should be able to give you three hours.”</p><p>That’s two more than Catra had hoped for. She nods.</p><p>“I’ll be checking the magic from out here too,” Glimmer says. “If something goes wrong with it I have limited ability to fix it, but I’ll keep an eye on it so if anything is weird when you come back, we can deal with it then.”</p><p>“We’re as ready as we’re going to be,” Adora says decisively. “Pull the switch.”</p><p>Catra stiffens, willing herself to block out the memories. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Entrapta yank the switch down. The portal opens, a vortex of energy. Adora squeezes her hand, and they step through.</p><p>Into...Etheria? And not just Etheria. Catra can hear the rumble of tanks, and as she looks a Horde army is approaching. She looks down at herself, and she’s wearing her old unitard with the one black sleeve. She reaches up, and her mask is on her face. </p><p><em> “What?” </em> she gasps. </p><p>Adora looks mildly panicked. “How did this happen? It’s just like we’re back in the war! And you look like you did when you were on the other side! You’re not, are you?”</p><p>“Of course not! I don’t know what’s going on!”</p><p>The army is almost on them. Catra pulls out the collapsible staff tucked on her hip and extends it. </p><p>“Catra!” Lonnie shouts from the front. “What are you doing over there? Come over and lead the battle, you’re on our side!”</p><p>Catra freezes. No. <em> No. </em> Not the Horde, never again.</p><p>“I’m not!” she yells. “I’m not with the Horde. I’ll <em> never </em> be with the Horde. Go away! All of you, just go!”</p><p>Lonnie scowls. “Adora got to you!” She turns back to the army. “Capture them! We need to take them back to the Fright Zone.”</p><p>A host of soldiers rushes forwards. Catra dodges stunners, knocks a solider out with a blow to the head from her staff, lashes out with her claws, keeping them at bay, but only barely. Adora is holding them off, but getting backed up, and the soldiers are starting to separate them. Catra knows if they both get surrounded it’s all over.</p><p>“Adora!” she shouts. “We need She-Ra!”</p><p>“For the honor of Grayskull!”</p><p>There’s a bright flash of light, and then She-Ra is standing on the battlefield. But her eyes...they’re unfocused. And then suddenly, she rounds on Catra.</p><p>“Catra!” she shouts. “What is this, an ambush? You’ll never get away with it!” She rushes towards her, sword drawn.</p><p>Catra leaps back. “Adora! What are you doing?! I’m on <em> your side!” </em></p><p>“You can’t trick me!” She-Ra takes a swing at her and Catra ducks. “You’re with the Horde, and I won’t let you bring Etheria down with you!”</p><p>The magic...it was cast on <em> Adora, </em> not She-Ra. They’re in some kind of dimension where Catra never defected, where she and Adora are still enemies. And now she’s the last place she ever wanted to be, fighting She-Ra again. </p><p>She-Ra keeps pressing forward, and Catra is forced to meet her, staff to sword. They’re going fast, and it’s all Catra can do to keep up her defenses. The Horde soldiers have backed away, seemingly not wanting to become collateral damage.</p><p>“Please!” Catra cries, tears in her eyes. “We’re here to rescue Angella. Stop fighting me, please, we have to do this!”</p><p>“Angella!” If anything, She-Ra now attacks harder. “It’s your fault she’s gone! How dare you even say her name!”</p><p>Catra has to end this. And because it’s Adora, because she knows her so well and has fought her hundreds of times, in training and in battle, she knows how.</p><p>“Lonnie!” she shouts. “Glimmer and Bow! Go after them!”</p><p>“Where—” She-Ra starts to ask, distracted just for a moment. </p><p>It’s long enough. Catra darts in, hitting her as hard in the head with her staff as she can possibly manage. She’s stronger than a human her size would be, and She-Ra slumps to the ground unconscious, already turning back into Adora.</p><p>Lonnie is strolling towards her, grinning. “Nice act. You fooled me too. Get She-Ra’s trust, then capture her. Sorry I blew your cover.”</p><p>“I’m not—” Catra starts, and then pauses. She has the resources of the Horde at her disposal now. Maybe she can use them for <em> good </em> this time. “I’m not done with my mission. Queen Angella is somewhere around here. We need to find her too.”</p><p>At her words, everything starts moving. Catra feels sick. She doesn’t want this kind of command anymore. She never did anything but abuse it. Kyle runs up, holding a tracker pad. “I have a signal!” he exclaims. “Up there, on top of the mountain.”</p><p>Catra sighs in relief. At least it’s close. Her next problem...she needs to keep Adora with her, so they can all get away. But she’s a Horde prisoner now. How…?</p><p>“Lonnie, Kyle, Rogelio,” she commands. “You come with me. Bring She-Ra. I don’t trust anyone else to keep her under control when she wakes up.”</p><p>Lonnie looks skeptical. “Bring the prisoner? Catra, are you crazy—”</p><p>“That’s an order!” Catra snaps. “Tie her up and get her awake!”</p><p>In short order, Adora is tied up, in such a way she’ll be able to walk but her arms are securely bound. Kyle waves some smelling salts under her nose.</p><p>“Ughhh,” Adora groans, and then her eyes snap open. “Catra!”</p><p><em> Please, </em> Catra thinks, <em> please be back to normal, and please clue into this. </em></p><p>“Hey Adora,” she purrs, the picture of a smug enemy, strolling over. “We’re about to go get your friend, Queen Angella.” She drops to be on the ground next to her, close, like she’s gloating. Barely moving her lips, she breathes “<em>Trust me. Go along with this.” </em></p><p>Adora’s eyes are still a little hazy, and Catra isn’t sure if it’s because Glimmer’s spell didn’t come back after she transformed, or if it’s a concussion. Catra can see the conflict in her eyes before Adora straightens. “Fine,” she says angrily. “I can’t stop you.”</p><p>Catra fights a grin. Adora would <em> never </em> say that. She'd never give up on stopping an enemy. She’s going along with Catra’s plan, at least for now. They just need to ditch Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio. They start making their way up the mountain, and Catra waits for her opportunity. She makes sure she gets the tracker pad from Kyle first.</p><p>She gets the opportunity she was looking for about halfway up the mountain, when they have to cross a chasm using a tree that fell down across it.</p><p>“Let’s have Adora go first,” she grins. “She can test the log for us. I’ll go right after.”</p><p>Lonnie shrugs. “Sure, whatever.”</p><p>Adora shoots her a glare, and then marches across the log, head held high. Catra holds in her sigh of relief that the log <em> did </em> hold. She’d been pretty sure, but not positive, and she hated taking that risk but she didn’t see any other way.</p><p>Catra crosses the log, but when she’s nearly across she “trips”, taking a deep swipe out of the log with the claws of her left foot. The tree starts to crack immediately, and she leaps the rest of the distance as it falls down the ravine.</p><p>“Catra!” Kyle shouts, and Rogelio roars. </p><p>“I’m fine!” she yells back to them. “You guys go back to the Horde. I can make it from here.”</p><p>“We’ll bring back reinforcements,” Lonnie promises. “Hang on.” </p><p>Catra nods, waving lazily, the picture of their confident leader. When she’s sure they’re gone, she uses her claws to cut the ropes binding Adora.</p><p>Adora decks her and Catra stumbles, blindsided. <em> So the spell didn’t come back, then. </em></p><p>“I still don’t trust you,” Adora spits out. “But you seem to know something I don’t, and I think you’re our only hope of getting Angella back.”</p><p>Ironically, Adora is right, at least about that. Still, it <em> hurts </em> to be enemies again. Catra doesn’t know what she can say to convince Adora. She doesn’t know if it’s worth the time it would take to try. They must be halfway through their three hours by now.</p><p>“Just follow me,” Catra says. “She’s at the top of the mountain.” She turns her back on Adora, feeling uncomfortable, and hates that she feels that way. What if Adora takes the opportunity to take her out? But she has to trust she won’t.</p><p>Adora doesn’t but it’s tense. All the way up the mountain, it’s tense, and Catra swims in her own guilt and self-recriminations. She deserves this. This is her fault, she was Adora’s enemy, and maybe this is the reaction she should have gotten all along.</p><p>They reach the top, and there’s a soft glow. Catra sees the queen sitting on a rock, head in her hands. She looks utterly defeated. </p><p>“Queen Angella!” Adora shouts, running over. “We’re here to rescue you!”</p><p>“Adora?” Angella gasps. “I thought I’d never see you again. How did you get here?”</p><p>Adora pauses. “I...I don’t know. I...I don’t remember anything before today!”</p><p>This is Catra’s chance. </p><p>“We came through another portal,” Catra says, stepping forward. “We came to rescue you.”</p><p>“You!” Angella exclaims, stepping in front of Adora protectively. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I’m here to help!” Catra hears her voice break. “I know neither of you believe me, but I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, and I’m here to help <em> fix </em> this!”</p><p>That seems to make Adora stop, although Angella still looks suspicious. </p><p>“You’re...you’re sorry?” Adora asks. “But you’re never sorry.”</p><p>“I am now.” Catra forces herself to hold her gaze. “Adora, this is another portal, another reality. I joined you months ago. We already beat the Horde. Together. Please, we have to take Queen Angella and get out of here. We don’t have much time.”</p><p>Angella’s face hardens. “You opened another portal?”</p><p>“You remember?” Catra asks, shocked.</p><p>“I’m sure I’m the only one in this dimension who does. There <em> was </em> no one else in this dimension, there was nothing, until you came in and brought your war with you. And you’ve taken that risk and opened another portal?”</p><p>“To save you!” Catra feels her tail lashing back and forth. “We were more careful this time, I swear! Please, come with us, please, trust me! I know you don’t have any reason to, but I’m your only hope.” Catra stops. <em> Use your tactical brain, idiot. </em> “I can take you back to Glimmer!”</p><p>Angella stops dead. “Glimmer? You can...I can see her again?”</p><p>“Yes. Please, please trust me.”</p><p>Angella still looks wary, and it’s Adora who steps forward.</p><p>“Okay,” Adora says, looking at her with eyes clearer than they’ve been. “Okay. I still don’t remember anything you’re saying but...I’ll trust you. I <em> want </em> to trust you.” </p><p>Catra wants to run to her, embrace her. She doesn’t. “We need to get back to where we came in. But there’s a Horde army waiting for us, and we’re short on time. And Adora, you can’t be She-Ra. That’s how you lost your memory. We don’t have time if you attack me again.”</p><p>It’s Angella who steps forward. “I can fly us most of the way there. But I’m not a fighter. It’s up to you and Adora to do the rest.” She looks at Catra, gaze hard. “I will make sure you live to regret it if you’re lying now.”</p><p>Catra nods. That’s more than fair.</p><p>Angella grabs hold of them each securely, and then takes off. Catra quickly decides she hates flying <em> much </em> more than teleporting. Maybe she wouldn’t hate it so much in other circumstances, but she’s terrified Angella will give into her spite and drop her.</p><p>Angella doesn’t. Soon, they’re close enough to see the portal...and the Horde army in front of it. The tanks start shooting at them, and Angella dodges, diving towards the ground. They land hard, and Catra rolls to her feet.</p><p>She and Adora rush into combat, both using their collapsible staffs, Queen Angella following close behind them. Block left, strike right, be careful about dodging in case Angella behind them gets hit instead. Catra takes a few glancing hits in her efforts to protect the queen, but she and Adora work together as well as they ever have. Instinctively, they cover each other’s blind spots, redirect enemies to where they can strike most effectively. </p><p>They’re almost to the portal when Catra sees it. A Horde soldier is rushing towards Adora with a knife raised. Adora will never move away in time. Without even thinking, Catra leaps, knocking Adora out of the way with her own body. A stabbing pain in her shoulder makes Catra scream, and when she looks down the knife is sticking out of it. She stumbles and falls, feeling the pain acutely yet unaware of her surroundings, her senses numbing outside of that stabbing, throbbing pain.</p><p>“Catra!” she hears Adora scream, distantly. And then suddenly Adora is there, tears in her eyes. “What did you do that for?” Adora asks, crying. “How could you get hurt like that for me?”</p><p>“Love you,” Catra manages. “Always love you.”</p><p>Adora scoops her into her arms, face determined. “We’re getting out of here. Angella, come on.”</p><p>They take off running to the portal, Angella right behind them. Adora shifts her to carry her with one arm, staff in her right hand. She’s fighting more ferociously than Catra has ever seen, swinging left, right, stabbing hard, sometimes smacking soldiers with the staff. Catra has some hazy awareness they’re nearly there, and then suddenly the portal is right in front of them.</p><p>“Go!” Adora screams at Angella. “We’ll be right behind you!” </p><p>Catra watches Angella fly into the portal, and then Adora gathers her in her arms and leaps.</p><p>They hit the ground hard, and Catra hears the crackling energy of the portal stop.</p><p>“Catra!” Adora cries, holding her gently, and Catra can see the moment everything comes back. “Catra, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have fought you, I should have known better, and now you’re hurt, I—”</p><p>“Adora,” Catra says weakly, cupping her face with her uninjured arm. “It’s okay, I’ll be okay.”</p><p>She looks over to where Glimmer and Angella are tight in an embrace, tears streaming down both of their cheeks. </p><p>“Everything will be okay,” she finishes.</p><p>And despite the pain in her shoulder, despite the concern and guilt on Adora’s face, Catra knows everything will be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally, the climactic chapter! I was planning the part where Adora thinks Catra is with the Horde since the beginning...mean I know. Hope you all enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Together Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Glimmer is clinging to her mother tightly, afraid that if she lets go her mom will disappear, that this isn’t real, that she’s only dreaming. The warm, solid presence of her mother assures her that she’s not, that this is real, and she can’t make herself let go.</p><p>“Mom,” she sobs, “Mom, I missed you so much, I missed you every day, Mom—”</p><p>“Shhhh,” her mother soothes her. “Shhhh. I’m here, I’m here, my precious daughter, and I’m not going anywhere. Your friends saved me.”</p><p>Her friends...her friends! Glimmer forces herself to pull away from her mother, just for a moment, and sees Adora kneeling over Catra, Bow and Entrapta hovering nearby. Why isn’t Catra standing like the rest of them?</p><p>“Adora?” she asks. “Adora, why is Catra on the ground?”</p><p>Adora turns to her, and Glimmer takes a step back when she sees the tears streaming down her face, seeking out her mother’s presence instinctively.</p><p>“She got hurt,” Adora chokes out. “When we were on our way to the portal. She was protecting me. I thought she was my enemy, but she still got hurt protecting me.”</p><p>“How bad?” Glimmer asks, dreading the answer.</p><p>It’s Bow who speaks. “She’ll be okay. But we’ve got to get her to the medbay. We need to get the knife out and she’s lost some blood.”</p><p>“Knife?”</p><p>Catra hears a weak laugh from Catra. “Got stabbed, Sparkles. It’s a new one, even for me. But I’ll be okay. You go see your mom.”</p><p>Ignoring Catra’s direction, Glimmer walks over and sees a knife sticking out of Catra’s shoulder, crimson blood around it. Gently, Adora picks her up. </p><p>“It’ll be okay,” Adora says, voice wobbling. “It will. Catra is right. You go talk to your mom.”</p><p>“Catra…” Glimmer breathes. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Catra says, faint but firm. “Now go on, I’ll be fine.”</p><p>Glimmer turns back to her mother, and sees her looking solemn. </p><p>“Trust your friends,” Angella says. “They’ll take care of...of Catra.” There’s an unspoken question in her voice. Glimmer takes her mom’s hand. </p><p>“Come on,” she says. “We have a lot to talk about.”</p><p>She leads her mom to the best place she can think to talk, their makeshift planning room, never once letting go of her hand. It feels childish, but she never wants to let go ever again.</p><p>She does when they get there though, pulling out a chair. Angella sits down right next to her. Casually, Glimmer scoots her chair closer, so they’re almost touching.</p><p>“A lot has happened since you...left,” Glimmer starts. “A whole lot. But Catra is our friend now. She saved my life. She helped Adora save everyone.”</p><p>Her mother smiles gently. “I guess you have a lot to tell me then. But you said...Catra saved your life? You were in that much danger?” Glimmer can hear the poorly-concealed worry in her mom’s voice.</p><p>“It’s a really long story…”</p><p>“We have nothing but time.” At that, Glimmer can’t help but smile. Her mother is right. They have all the time in the world now.</p><p>“After you left, I became queen.” Glimmer laughs self-consciously. “I guess you could figure that out on your own. But I...I didn’t do a good job.” She feels her face heat up with shame. “I messed up, really bad. I pushed Adora and Bow away, said <em> awful </em>things to Adora. I blamed her for everything...for losing you. And I was so desperate to beat the Horde...I did something really stupid, and really dangerous. The whole planet of Etheria is a weapon, we learned that from Light Hope. And I activated it.” Tears drip down her face. “I activated it, and everyone almost died, and someone so much worse than Hordak found us.”</p><p>Her mother pulls her into an embrace. “Oh Glimmer,” her mother murmurs. “It’s not your fault. I never prepared you to rule. I was always trying to keep you safe, and I never gave you the room you needed to grow. You weren’t ready, but that is <em> my </em> mistake, not yours. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>Glimmer sniffles, turning her head into her mom’s neck. “I tried so hard to be a good ruler, like you were. But I just kept making such awful mistakes.”</p><p>“Was it all mistakes?” Angella asks gently.</p><p>“No. We won the war, months ago.” Angella gasps. “Yeah, really.  I’ve been ruling over the reconstruction since then. I think...I think I’ve done a better job. I’m listening to the right people this time, Adora, Bow, Spinnerella and Netossa, even Catra.”</p><p>“You said Catra saved your life.”</p><p>Glimmer pulls away to look at her mom. “Yeah. The one who I said was worse than Hordak…” Glimmer stops, draws in a deep breath, feeling her heart start to race. Her memories of her time as a prisoner on his ship are still so vivid. “He was called Horde Prime. He captured me and Catra both and took us to his spaceship. Um, I don’t know if it was obvious since there’s no windows, but we’re on a spaceship now. In space. It’s the old She-Ra’s spaceship, but Entrapta fixed it up and it flies just fine! We were in this weird Despondos dimension where we were cut off from everything before, but we’re part of the larger universe now. You can see the stars! And planets—some of them have people, just like Etheria. The stars are beautiful, but not everything out there is.”</p><p>Glimmer swallows. “Prime came from the stars,” she continues. “He held me prisoner...and Catra helped me escape. No, that’s not giving her enough credit. She saved me entirely, on her own. And she paid for it.” Glimmer looks down. “Horde Prime chipped and brainwashed her. He had a way to control people, he did it to almost all Etherians. But Catra was the first. I wish we could have gotten there faster, but once we got back to Prime’s ship Adora rescued her. We all tried to help, but Adora did most of the heavy lifting. It was all I could do to keep myself together being back on that ship…”</p><p>Glimmer takes a moment to steady herself. “We didn’t understand why Adora would risk it all for her, not really, but we couldn’t just leave her. She’s been with us ever since.”</p><p>Angella looks very very sad. “Then it seems I owe her a debt of gratitude, for saving my daughter. Not a position I ever thought I’d be in. But I’m glad you’ve found a new...friend?”</p><p>“Yeah, we’re friends,” Glimmer confirms, smiling. “She’s trying really hard to be a good friend. I think you’d like her, if you’ll give her a chance.”</p><p>“For you, I’d give her a dozen chances,” her mother says, with a small smile. “You were right about Adora. I trust you to be right about Catra too.”</p><p>A lump rises in Glimmer’s throat. “Thanks,” she whispers. “For trusting me.”</p><p>Her mother pulls her closer again and kisses her forehead. “Always.”</p><p>Another pause. “We won the war?” Angella asks.</p><p>Glimmer nods. “It ended up being against Horde Prime, not Hordak. Hordak...he just kind of became not relevant, because Prime took care of him. Adora went into the Heart of Etheria with Catra, and set the magic free. All this time, the First Ones had cut us off from most of it. But now, magic is back in Etheria.”</p><p>“That’s wonderful!” Angella exclaims. </p><p>“It is.” Glimmer pauses, remembering, and takes her mother’s hand. “Mom...there’s something else you should know.”</p><p>Her mom seems to pick up on the tone in her voice, because her next question is cautious. “What?”</p><p>There is no easy way to say it. “Dad’s alive. Adora and Bow found him on Beast Island. They brought him back. He’s been in Bright Moon with us. He’s waiting for you.”</p><p>It’s a good thing her mother was already sitting down, because Glimmer thinks she would have collapsed if she wasn't. Angella buries her head in her hands, shoulders shaking. When she looks up, tears are streaming down her face.</p><p>“Micah is alive? Glimmer, your father is alive?”</p><p>Glimmer smiles, reaching out to grab her mother’s shoulders. “He is. He can’t wait to see you.”</p><p>“I never thought...my whole family, back together...When I went into that portal, I was sure I’d never see any of you again, and our whole family is right here, just waiting for me.”</p><p>Glimmer embraces her. “We’re never leaving,” she promises. “We’ll be together now. No one gets lost again.”</p><p>Her mother hugs her tightly. “Yes. We’ll be a family, just like we always should have been.”</p><p>Pulling back, Glimmer asks “So you’ll rule Bright Moon again? I don’t have to worry about it anymore?”</p><p>Angella stops. Glimmer’s heart races the longer she goes without speaking. And then:</p><p>“No, Glimmer. My time is done, it’s your turn now. You’ve grown up so much since I left, won a war, turned enemies into friends, started to rebuild our world. I can’t take that away from you.” Her mother gives her a watery smile. “I will always be there to advise you, to support you. But you’ve come into your own, and it’s time for me to step back.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles back, full of trepidation and relief all at once. “I won’t let you down.”</p><p>“I know you won’t, my brave, beautiful daughter. I can’t wait to see what you do with the life you’ve built.”</p><p>Truthfully, neither can Glimmer. Now that she has her mom back, she has everyone she needs to make all her dreams come true. They’ll rebuild Etheria, and have a place full of laughter and love in it, her family and her friends. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be <em> wonderful. </em></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Catra sighs to herself, shifting in her nest of blankets and pillows in the medbay. She has <em> finally </em> convinced Adora to go get some rest. Her girlfriend has been clinging to her since they got back from the portal, full of guilt for fighting her and worry over her stab wound. Catra isn’t thrilled she got stabbed, but she’s been patched up well and it’ll heal just fine. It doesn’t hurt so badly now that she’s been given some painkillers, just a low-level throbbing. Entrapta had run some scans and after conferring with Darla’s repositories of medical information, assured her that she’d make a full recovery and recover her complete range of motion. It’ll scar, but that’s a small price to pay for righting her greatest mistake.</p><p>Someone knocks at the door, and Catra startles a little. Normally she’d hear them walking up the corridor, but she was lost in her own thoughts, and it’s possible the painkillers have dulled her senses. </p><p>“Come in,” she says, wondering who would knock. Adora doesn’t need to, and Glimmer or Entrapta would barge right in. Maybe it was Bow.</p><p>“Hello, Catra.”</p><p>It’s the last person Catra expected. <em> Queen Angella. </em></p><p>“Uh, hi,” she replies, hating how her voice cracks. “Can I um, help you?”</p><p>Angella walks in, and Catra is shocked to see that she’s smiling. It’s small, but it’s there. </p><p>“I think you already have.”</p><p>“Oh. By...helping save you? Because it was really all Adora at the end. I was useless after I got stabbed.”</p><p>“You took that knife without hesitation,” Angella replies, expression serious. “That was when I knew I had been wrong about you, before. You didn’t even think before you jumped in to protect Adora.”</p><p><em> I love her, </em>Catra thinks, but she doesn’t know Angella well enough to be comfortable saying it. “It’s Adora,” she says instead.</p><p>“Last I knew, you were trying to kill Adora,” Angella replies levelly. “But something changed. Glimmer told me you saved her from Horde Prime. I can never repay you for that.”</p><p>“You don’t need to,” Catra murmurs, looking away, ears down. “She...Glimmer told me to do just one good thing with my life. I decided that would be it. But if I’m being honest with you—” Catra forces herself to look at Angella. “I mostly did it for Adora. Not your daughter.”</p><p>“But you did save her.” Angella crosses her arms. “And you said <em> mostly</em>.”</p><p>“I...like Glimmer,” Catra replies. “We weren’t friends then, like we are now, but I liked her. We helped keep each other sane in that awful place. And I felt sorry for her. She didn’t deserve to be there. Not like I did.”</p><p>Angella takes a step closer, and Catra tenses. “From what I heard from my daughter, no one deserves what happened to you, Catra.”</p><p>Catra feels her hackles rise and her ears pin back. “I did! I did deserve it! I did so many horrible things, I’m the whole reason you were stuck in that portal! I don’t deserve your gratitude for rescuing you from that, because it was my fault in the first place! And I don’t deserve your daughter’s friendship, or Bow’s, and I don’t deserve Adora! I don’t deserve <em> anything!” </em></p><p>Catra is shocked to realize that in that whole tirade, in all her yelling, Angella has stepped even closer, close enough to touch, now. It should make her afraid. But all she feels is confused.</p><p>“Who taught you that, that you deserve all the bad and none of the good?” Angella asks softly. “Was it Shadow Weaver?”</p><p>
  <em> “How could you know that?”  </em>
</p><p>The words are ripped from Catra’s mouth before she even processes that she’s said them.</p><p>“I saw what she did to Adora,” Angella says sadly. “I saw more than Adora knows, I think. We were at war a long time. I knew how to recognize a terrorized child.”</p><p>“We aren’t children,” Catra says, wanting to be angry but feeling somehow small instead.</p><p>“No. But you were. And there was no one there to protect you. And Catra, that isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”</p><p>Catra is too shocked to speak for several seconds, until she blurts out:</p><p>“How could that <em> possibly </em> be your fault?”</p><p>Angella looks away. “We stopped fighting. <em> I </em>stopped fighting. We just let the Horde keep on growing unopposed because of my cowardice. There would have been no children in the Horde’s custody if the Rebellion hadn’t fallen apart. If I hadn’t let it fall apart. For you, and all the other children they abused, I’m sorry.”</p><p>There are tears falling down her face, Catra realizes. How could she see, how could this woman she fought and hurt possibly see all that? How could she forgive her, how could she be sorry? <em> How could she be the first person to ever be sorry? </em></p><p>“I—” she chokes. “I’m—”</p><p>Angella folds her in an embrace, holding her gently. Catra should be tense, but she sinks into it instead, shoulders shaking with the sobs she’s trying and failing to hold in.</p><p>“Shhhh,” Angella murmurs. “Shhhh. The war is over. It’s all over. And we will make sure there are no more children like you.”</p><p>That breaks the dam and Catra loses the last of her self-control, crying and crying while Angella holds her softly, just like Catra imagines a mother would. She doesn’t know what to do with it other than grab on, afraid to let go.</p><p>When she’s cried herself out, Angella gently lets her go, stepping back. Catra is embarrassed to see a wet spot on her shirt.</p><p>“Sorry,” she begins. “I—”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry,” Angella says. “I wish someone had done that for you a long time ago. Maybe a lot of pain could have been avoided that way.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Catra replies, wondering. “What you said, about making sure there’s no more kids like me...do you have a plan? Can I help?”</p><p>Angella smiles at her. “I do have the beginnings of a plan, yes. The Horde would have still been holding lots of children when they lost the war. Someone needs to take them in and help them heal. I already decided I won’t be ruling. This is something I can do.”</p><p>“When I’m ready,” Catra begins, “when I’m less angry, and more together, I want to help. I think...I think maybe I could help those kids.”</p><p>Angella smiles brighter. “I think you could. And I think it would help you, too.”</p><p>Catra smiles back, and feels the beginnings of hope in her chest. For the first time in a long time, she has more than a vague tomorrow to look forward to. For the first time in a long time, she has a goal...something real she can do to help heal the hurts she took part in. And she has a new ally to do it with.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Adora is up from her nap and ready to go back to Catra when Angella finds her. The queen catches her in the corridor on the way to the medbay.</p><p>“Adora,” Angella says. “Good. I wanted to talk to you.”</p><p>“To me?” Adora asks, stomach dropping. She’d been dreading talking to Angella. She’d left her in the portal, and even worse, the last thing Angella had told her was to take care of the others, and she’d <em> really </em>messed that up. Her relationship with Glimmer had fractured to the point where Glimmer set off the Heart and got kidnapped. They’d won, but lost so much along the way.</p><p>“Yes,” Angella says, her brow furrowing, “and based off your reaction, I should have done it sooner.”</p><p>“It’s okay. I was with Catra, and then I was asleep. Really, we don’t have to talk, I should get back to her.”</p><p>Angella puts a steady hand on her shoulder, turning her around. “Please don’t worry so much. But we are definitely talking. Come, we can go to the quarters Glimmer assigned me.”</p><p>Adora nods and walks on legs that are only slightly unsteady. When they get there, she notes that it’s got a couple chairs to sit in, probably why Angella wanted to talk there. It’s not that the cabin is so much bigger than the one she shares with Catra, just that the bed is a single instead of a double so there’s room for the chairs.</p><p>“Please, sit down,” Angella says, gesturing. “I’m not going to scold you. You don’t need to look so nervous.”</p><p>Adora sits. “Maybe you should,” she mumbles, looking away. “I didn’t fulfill the last request you gave me very well.”</p><p>Angella looks puzzled and concerned. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“You told me to take care of everyone. But after we lost you, everything just fell apart. My friendship with Glimmer imploded, and Shadow Weaver was around pulling everyone’s strings, and Horde Prime invaded, and—”</p><p>“Adora.” Angella holds up a hand. “Stop. I didn’t tell you to take care of everyone else—I told you to take care of <em> each other. </em> It was never meant to be just you. I was trying to take some of the weight off your shoulders, and just added more. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“I…” Adora starts. “It’s not your fault. I have this thing, always taking everything on, Catra is constantly reminding me of it. This isn’t <em> your </em> fault, it’s mine—”</p><p>“<em>No. </em> No more blaming yourself for things that you didn’t do. I should have been more careful with my wording. I knew you had that tendency. Adora, I wanted to make sure you let yourself be cared for too. You were so ready to sacrifice yourself for the world, and that made me so <em> sad </em> to see. So young, only my daughter’s age, and so ready to die. I would have taken your place a thousand times, so that you could learn how to live.”</p><p>Adora can feel the tears gather in her eyes. “But it should have been me. It was my job, my duty, and I just let you take my place, and Glimmer lost her mom and Bright Moon lost their queen.”</p><p>“Bright Moon survived. Glimmer survived. <em> You </em> survived. It was never your duty to die, and you all did so well. You won the war. And you say your friendship fell apart, but I see you together now. You all love each other, and the trust is there, and from what I saw when I spoke to Catra, you’ve found new love in your life too...or rediscovered an old one.” Angella lays a hand on hers. “None of that would have happened if you sacrificed yourself. I wouldn’t change a thing. Please, stop blaming yourself.”</p><p>Against her will, the tears slip down Adora’s face. She feels like she’s done better at not taking on everything herself since the Heart, at letting people take care of her, but to be absolved of an old failure? To be told it wasn’t a failure after all? It takes a weight off Adora’s shoulders she didn’t even know could be lifted.</p><p>“You mean it?” she whispers, hating how young she sounds. “You don’t regret it?”</p><p>“I regret missing out on so much of my daughter’s life, of all your lives. But saving you? No, Adora, never.”</p><p>Adora doesn’t know what to do with that. She doesn’t know how to accept it, chest tightening with something she cannot name. So instead, she says “I should get back to Catra. She got stabbed because of <em> me.” </em></p><p>“She got stabbed because of the Horde soldier who had the knife. And she doesn’t regret saving you, not any more than I do.”</p><p>“But I’d rather me be stabbed than her!” Adora bursts out. “I love her!”</p><p>“And she loves you,” Angella says gently. “Sometimes that means letting someone take care of you. She’s going to be okay. And based on what I saw, you might not have been. Catra knows that. She made her choice, and you should respect that. Respect her.”</p><p>“I <em> do,” </em> Adora says. “I do. But it feels <em> bad. </em> I feel bad. It always feels like I could have stopped it, somehow. There was so much that happened to her I should have stopped. Things could have been really different.” She clenches her fist. “Things could have been better.”</p><p>“I was just speaking to Catra about how Shadow Weaver distorted her thinking.” Adora looks at Angella, surprised, and sees deep sadness lining her face. “She did that to you too. She made you think everything was always on your shoulders. It isn’t. Sometimes someone else can carry it. And the things you think you should have stopped for Catra...it’s Shadow Weaver again, isn’t it?” Adora nods hesitantly. “You were a child. You couldn’t have stopped anything, and you never should have been in a position where you thought you had to. <em> It is not your fault, </em> and you did the best thing you could, which was to love Catra.”</p><p>Adora takes a shaky breath. “Shadow Weaver always told me I had to keep Catra in line.”</p><p>“She was <em> lying. </em> She used Catra to hurt you, to control you. She might not have done the same things to you that she did to her, but she hurt you just the same.”</p><p>Adora buries her face in her hands. “I know she hurt me. I just...I wish I could have kept her from hurting Catra. It would have been okay if it was just me.”</p><p>“<em>No.” </em>Angella has grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face. “Adora, look at me, it would never <em> ever </em> be okay what she did to you, even if it was only you. You deserve better. You deserve to be happy.”</p><p>“People keep telling me that,” Adora whispers, tears gathering in her eyes again. “Do you think I’ll ever believe them?”</p><p>Angella pulls her in and holds her, and Adora lets her, breathing coming quick and fast as it all spills out, tears streaming down her face. She’s <em> sobbing, </em> and Angella is holding her, gentle and steady. </p><p>“You have so many people that love you that will remind you until you do.” Angella says. “And they love you for you. Just you, you’re enough.”</p><p>“Okay,” Adora sighs, pulling back a little and wiping at her eyes. “I think maybe every time someone tells me that, I believe it a little more. Catra always told me I had a thick head.”</p><p>Angella laughs softly. “She knows you very well. And if you let us, we all will.”</p><p>Adora nods. “Bow and Glimmer know me too. They just haven’t known me as long. But I don’t let them in as much, I didn’t even before I got Catra back. I can change that.”</p><p>“Yes, you can,” Angella agrees, and they drift into silence, Adora allowing herself to enjoy being held. She promises herself she will let her friends in, and let Catra take care of her. They’re all together, and their future is as bright as all the stars around them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was really my baby. I just love all those mother figure-daughter relationships.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Celebrations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The journey back to Bright Moon seems to go so much faster than their voyage to the empty spot in space where they opened the portal. Angella is never alone for a minute besides when she sleeps, all of them always wanting to spend time with her, to make up for the lost years. Adora wonders if she gets tired of it, but if she does, Angella gives no sign. One thing Adora is sure of is that Angella never, ever tires of being with Glimmer.</p><p>Adora hasn’t seen Glimmer this happy and carefree in years, not since they had lost Angella. There had been a weight she’d been carrying that could never leave as long as her mother was gone. Adora supposes it was grief. She had never stopped grieving Catra when they were still enemies. But now, the grief is gone, for both of them! She has Catra and Glimmer has Angella—and Bow too. Adora had been so surprised and pleased to hear that they’d finally gotten together, and that Catra of all people had been the one to give them the gentle push they needed. It’s an indicator of how far they’ve all come. And Adora has to admit, Glimmer and Bow are <em> really </em> cute. Always blushing and holding hands, looking at each other with stars in their eyes. It’s probably how she looks with Catra, and Adora is glad they’re all so happy.</p><p>They’d just gotten back to Bright Moon yesterday, and apparently all the rest of the princesses are planning to throw them a welcome home party tomorrow. It was <em> supposed </em> to be a surprise, but Scorpia hadn’t been able to help herself and had accidentally let it slip the second they got back. Adora grins. Now that Scorpia doesn’t view her as a rival for Catra’s attention, she’s really gotten to know just how kind and <em> goofy </em> the other woman is. The other princesses had groaned when Scorpia had spoiled their surprise, but Adora can’t really see anything wrong with being so excited to see your friends you just can’t keep it inside. It’s...kinda refreshing, after all the stress of a war and the emotional control it had demanded.</p><p>Emotional control...she had certainly lost hers in the portal, to attack Catra as an enemy like that. They haven’t discussed it. Truthfully, Adora’s been avoiding it. It was easier to avoid than you’d think on a small spaceship, since she spent a lot of time following Angella around, and then her time with Catra fussing over the stab wound (“it’s <em> fine, </em> Adora!”). But now they’re back in Bright Moon, and Adora probably shouldn’t avoid it anymore. Somehow it feels easier to try to talk about in the sunshine, millions of miles away from where it happened.</p><p>Now that she’s deciding she <em> does </em> need to go talk to Catra about what happened in the portal, Adora pauses. Catra...Catra hasn’t brought it up either. Is she avoiding it, just like Adora? And if so, why? <em> She </em> isn’t the one who messed up and attacked her <em> girlfriend. </em> The stab wound had nearly distracted her from it, but Adora knew some of the bruises on Catra had been from her own hands. </p><p>Adora groans and runs a hand over her face. All their progress, and they’re still not communicating. Well, she isn’t going to let this fester, not any longer. Determinedly, she strides off towards the edge of the Whispering Woods, where Catra had gone to explore. Having only recently been cleared for physical activity again by a healer, her girlfriend is full of restless energy. All things considered, a hike in the woods is a pretty good way to work it off—probably healthier than Adora’s “beat the crap out of a punching bag” go-to, honestly.</p><p>Of course, there are ways they can work off their energy together...but Adora has been almost afraid to touch Catra since they got back from fighting each other again. She almost feels as if she doesn’t have the right, if she could turn on her again so quickly. </p><p>Thinking about it...yeah, Adora should have brought all this up with Catra <em> days </em> ago. She quickens her pace, just a little.</p><p>Catra, whose eyes are sharper in the dim light of the forest than Adora’s, sees her first.</p><p>“Adora!” Catra says, stepping out from behind a tree. Adora only jumps a little. “What are you doing out here?”</p><p>“I was looking for you.” Adora shifts her weight, rocking slightly from foot to foot. “I thought we should talk. About what happened in the portal.”</p><p>Catra’s ears flatten and she reaches up to touch the scar on her shoulder, seeming not to notice the motion. “We don’t need to do that. Really.”</p><p>Adora smiles sadly. “I think we do. For one thing, I need to apologize.”</p><p>“Apologize? For what?” Catra asks, eyes wide. “You saved Angella! And me.”</p><p>“I thought you were my enemy,” Adora sighs. “I didn’t trust you. I...I attacked you, for real.” Her eyes flicker to Catra’s face, where the bruise from where she punched her has since faded. “I never wanted to fight you again, but first thing in that portal, I turned on you. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“Are you <em> seriously </em> blaming yourself for that?” Catra asks, incredulous. “Adora, you got mind-whammied by an alternate reality. We didn’t know the magic wouldn’t work on She-Ra. It’s not your fault. If anything, it’s mine.”</p><p>Adora steps closer, raising a hand to reach out but then pausing, leaving her hand awkwardly dangling in the air before she drops it. “Yours? How is this your fault? You just said it was the alternate reality!”</p><p>Catra’s tail is lashing back and forth. “You never would have thought I was your enemy if I hadn’t been that in the first place. If I’d just stayed with you the whole time, where I belonged. Instead, I wasted years burning down everything you ever loved—and the only thing I ever loved. You.”</p><p>This time, Adora does reach out, gripping Catra’s shoulders gently but firmly. “Stop. It’s in the past. You did awful things, but I forgive you. You didn’t deserve to be treated like an enemy again.”</p><p>Catra stiffens under her touch. “But do I deserve to be treated like a friend? Like...like more? Maybe what happened in that portal is how it should be.”</p><p>“<em> Never. </em> Catra, people can change, you changed. I love you. Can’t you let yourself have that?”</p><p>“Can you?” Catra challenges. “I don’t think you think you deserve this relationship. Just like I don’t think I deserve it either.”</p><p>Adora tips Catra’s chin up so she’s looking her in the eyes. “I still have issues with guilt and responsibility, with feeling like I can’t want things. But every day, I’m making an effort, because being with you is the best thing that ever happened to me, and because I deserve better. I promised at the Heart I’d stay. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m <em> staying.” </em></p><p>Catra surges forward and kisses her, catching Adora by surprise before she melts into it, cradling Catra’s face gently. The moment grows heated before they pull away, foreheads touching.</p><p>“I’m staying too,” Catra breathes. “You just apologized for not trusting me, but I think you do. You went along with my plan in the portal, even though you didn’t remember and were suspicious. Every morning when you wake up next to me and don’t jump out of bed you trust me, and I trust you too. I trust you enough to do this, to be with you, even if I don’t always feel like I deserve it. I trust you enough to begin to forgive myself.”</p><p>Adora holds her, relief flowing through her as she considers Catra’s perspective on the portal, that she didn’t break faith with her entirely. “I love you.”</p><p>Catra relaxes into her, rumbling with a quiet purr. “I love you too.”</p><p>Adora doesn’t know how long they stay like that, but when they break apart, the silence is comfortable. She takes Catra’s hand, and they walk back to Bright Moon. They walk back home.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The morning of the party dawns bright and sunny, and distracted by how good Catra looks in her suit, Adora is very nearly late to the party. Catra walks beside her, laughing. Adora fidgets, slightly uncomfortable in her dress, but Catra had assured her she looked perfect, and then proved how much she meant it. It’s not the same clothing they wore to Princess Prom, but it’s similar, and Adora is <em> really </em>looking forward to dancing with Catra properly this time. Yes, her heart had been pounding at their last dance, but it had been half adrenaline, half denied attraction. This time, she can just enjoy it.</p><p>“You’re here!” Glimmer says, rushing over and giving Adora a hug. She goes to hug Catra too, and Catra surprises Adora by not shrugging away. She even lets Bow hug her next, after he’s hugged Adora too.</p><p>“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Sparkles,” Catra says. “Sorry we’re a little late. We were <em> occupied.” </em></p><p>Glimmer scrunches up her face. “I do <em> not </em> wanna know.”</p><p>Catra laughs and Adora blushes. Bow is laughing too, and he takes Glimmer’s hand. “It’s almost time for Angella’s speech,” he says. “Come on, Perfuma and Scorpia saved us a spot.”</p><p>Scorpia gives Adora a bone-crushing hug when she sees her, scooping up her and Catra both in her big arms. Catra makes a show of grumbling, but she’s smiling at Scorpia and Scorpia seems to get it, laughing and saying “You never change, Wildcat.” </p><p>Catra grins. “I think your girlfriend would tell you otherwise.” </p><p>Scorpia blushes, and Perfuma says “Oh yes, Catra has changed a lot! Her meditation has improved <em> wonderfully.” </em></p><p>Adora beams, and this time Catra blushes. “Thanks, Flower Girl.”</p><p>Perfuma smiles and then turns her attention to Glimmer and Bow. “It’s great you’ve gotten your mother back, Glimmer. And I heard you and Bow got together!” She sighs happily. “Everyone is really learning to listen to their inner voices.”</p><p>Bow smiles. “Yeah, but it took our outer voices to figure it out.”</p><p>Glimmer takes over. “Thanks, Perfuma. I really appreciate you supporting me when I first brought up the rescue mission with the rest of the princesses.”</p><p>Perfuma smiles and embraces her. “Where there’s love, there’s always a chance.” She pulls back and looks to the side. “Right, Scorpia?”</p><p>Scorpia puts an arm around her and smiles. “That’s for sure!”</p><p>“Awwww!” Bow squeals, eyes shining. “Everyone is learning the power of love!”</p><p>Catra makes fake gagging noises. “Ugh, you guys are making me regret switching sides!”</p><p>Adora grins and pulls Catra into her. “You looooooove me,” she sings. “You wanna beeeee with me.” She winks. “On <em> our </em> side.”</p><p>“Gross!” Catra pushes her away but not too far. “You’re insufferable.”</p><p>Everyone laughs, and Glimmer says “You’re just now picking up on that? I thought you’d known her your whole life!”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>Adora doesn’t really get the chance to defend herself, because Glimmer is headed up to the stage. “I have to introduce my mom!” she says, grinning ear to ear.</p><p>Soon enough, she’s up there. “Attention, everyone!” Glimmer says, projecting her voice. “We’re all here for a <em> really </em> important occasion.” Everyone in the room turns towards the stage, smiling and listening intently. “A few weeks ago, Bow, Adora, Catra, Entrapta, and I set off for space on a mission, to rescue my mom.” She smiles brilliantly. “I’m so happy to tell you it was a success. Everyone, Queen Angella is here!”</p><p>Angella steps up to the forefront and the entire room erupts in clapping and cheering. Angella looks as regal as ever, soaking it in before holding up a hand. </p><p>“Thank you, everyone,” she says, smiling. “I’m so, so happy to be back here with you all. And all of you have given me the best gift possible I could have gotten coming back: the war is over, thanks to all of you. For the first time in over a generation, Etheria is at peace.”</p><p>The crowd cheers again, and Angella waits a moment before continuing. “A special thanks to the Princess Alliance, and Adora, often known as She-Ra, for their role in ending the war. And of course, thanks to my strong, brave daughter, who ruled Bright Moon in my absence and oversaw the conclusion of the war and the ongoing reconstruction efforts.”</p><p>Angella pulls Glimmer beside her and continues. “On that note, I will not be resuming my position as ruler of Bright Moon. It is Queen Glimmer’s time to take on that responsibility. My daughter has done a wonderful job while I was lost, and I’m sure she will continue to do a wonderful job as she grows in experience and wisdom. I will always be here to advise her and my heart is with Bright Moon, but it’s time for me to step back. All hail Queen Glimmer, ruler of Bright Moon!”</p><p>This time, Angella lets the applause and cheering run its course before continuing, beaming at her daughter, who is standing there looking both embarrassed and pleased. Finally, Angella continues: “All that said, I won’t just be relaxing here in the castle. I have a new project, one which I would love to have the support of all of you for. After speaking to Catra, who so bravely came over to our side after being indoctrinated by the Horde since birth, I have decided to start a rehabilitation program for all of the children who were in the Horde’s custody at the end of the war. I have every hope that Horde survivors will help these children break out of the Horde’s abuse, and that all of you will help us in this endeavor.”</p><p>Adora puts her arm around Catra and looks at her girlfriend, teary-eyed and smiling. Catra smiles back at her, reaching up to wipe one eye self-consciously. “You never told me about this,” Adora whispers.</p><p>“I was almost afraid that if I said it out loud, it wouldn’t happen,” Catra whispers back. “But this is what I’m going to do. I...I finally found something where all the mistakes I made can actually help make things right.”</p><p>Adora pulls her into a hug. “I’m so proud of you.” They turn their attention back to Angella, who is wrapping up.</p><p>“Again, thank you all for being here,” Angella says. “Now, let’s all get back to the party while I spend some time with my family!”</p><p>Angella goes over to hug Glimmer and Micah, and the crowd disperses, smiling. Adora notices Entrapta hurrying over to them, Mermista and Frosta following behind.</p><p>“What a fascinating speech!” Entrapta says. “I’ll have to add it to my formal occasions data. Do you think a person’s syntax might be different if they’re immortal? I’ll have to run some analyses.”</p><p>“Uh,” Adora says. “Maybe?”</p><p>Mermista rolls her eyes. “I think what Entrapta <em> means </em> to say,” she says, “is that she’s glad Queen Angella is back.”</p><p>“Of course!” Entrapta replies. “Retrieving her was a completely successful scientific endeavor, and now Glimmer’s family unit is complete.” She looks over to where Angella, Micah, and Glimmer are still talking, standing closely together. “It’s the ideal outcome. I’m...happy.” She laughs. “Yes! I’m very happy about this.”</p><p>“We are too,” Bow says, giving her a nudge. “Thanks for all your help.”</p><p>“You’re welcome!” Entrapta says, eyes lighting up. “You made a really good lab assistant. You can help out any time.”</p><p>Bow smiles. “Sounds great.”</p><p>“Glimmer is coming back!” Perfuma says, pointing excitedly as Glimmer walks back towards them. </p><p>“Hey guys,” Glimmer says. “What’d you think of my mom’s speech?”</p><p>“It was great,” Adora says while Bow gives a thumbs up and Catra nods.</p><p>“I’m uh, sorry I doubted your ability to rescue your mom,” Mermista says. “I like, should have trusted you.”</p><p>“Me too!” Frosta pipes up. “You’re Glimmer, you always figure out a way to beat impossible odds.”</p><p>Glimmer smiles at them. “Thanks guys, but actually...I appreciate you speaking up, even if I really didn’t then. I wouldn’t be a very good queen if everyone just said yes all the time. You guys made me think about holes in my plan...actually, you kind of made me <em> have </em> a plan.”</p><p>Mermista snorts. “Well in that case, I’m totally <em> not </em> sorry,” she says. “You can count on me to point out when you’re being like, a dumbass.”</p><p>Frosta punches her in the arm a little bit. “<em> And </em> when you’re being smart,” she says. “We can do both.”</p><p>Catra jumps in. “Yeah, you guys can’t <em> completely </em>steal my job of telling Glimmer she’s being an idiot. I mean, I can always tell Adora she’s being stupid, but it gets so boring without variety.”</p><p>“Hey!” Adora pokes her in the arm. “I’m plenty smart!”</p><p>“You’re very smart,” Bow says placatingly. “Catra, who tells <em> you </em> when you’re being dumb?”</p><p>“I’m never dumb,” Catra says at the same time Glimmer says “Me.” They mock glare at each other, then laugh.</p><p>“Ooh, ohh!” Scorpia exclaims. “Can I tell you when you’re being stupid? I probably should have more often in the past.”</p><p>Catra sighs. “Yeah, I guess <em> you’ve </em> earned the right to do that.”</p><p>They all laugh, and then the party continues. Adora dances with Catra, and loves it. It has all the charge of their dance at Princess Prom, and none of the tension, and even better, she gets more than one dance with her. She dances with the rest of her friends too, Glimmer and Bow and all the princesses, but she always comes back to Catra. When they get tired of dancing, they stuff themselves full of fancy party food, and Adora thinks that this is maybe a perfect day.</p><p>Adora and Catra are relaxing in some chairs and people-watching when Bow and Glimmer come over to them, hand in hand.</p><p>“Hey guys,” Bow says. “Great party. But do you want to come outside for a minute, just the Best Friends Squad? The sun is about to set, and it’ll be really pretty.” </p><p>“That sounds great,” Adora replies, thinking that the quiet outside with the people she loves most will also be nice after such a fun but packed day. “Let’s go.” She takes Catra’s hand, and they all walk out together, slipping away from the crowds and noise.</p><p>“It’s different from the Fright Zone,” Catra says once they’re settled outside, cuddled up with Adora, who in turn is leaning against Glimmer, who has Bow’s arm around her. “The colors are so different.”</p><p>“It was probably the pollution,” Bow says thoughtfully. “All that haze in the air could have changed the sunset.”</p><p>“I like it better here,” Adora says, smiling. “And I definitely like the company.”</p><p>“It’s so different than when it was just me and Bow,” Glimmer says. “I used to think that adding other people would make it less special between us, but it just made it better.”</p><p>“That’s what I thought too,” Catra admits. “I was scared to let Adora love anyone besides me. But I also didn’t realize I could love anyone but Adora.”</p><p>“Awwww!” Bow exclaims, stars in his eyes. “You love us?”</p><p>Catra rolls her eyes. “Don’t make a big deal about it. But yeah, okay, maybe I do.”</p><p>Warmth spreads throughout Adora’s whole body. This is everything she ever wanted. Her friends, together. The world, safe. And Catra, by her side.</p><p>“Adora, you’re crying,” Glimmer says, concerned. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Nothing,” she says, smiling through her tears. “I’m just really happy.”</p><p>“You sap,” Catra says, but kisses her on the cheek.</p><p>Glimmer squeezes Adora tight. “I’m really happy too. You guys...you brought my mom back. Now everything is just <em> perfect.” </em></p><p>Adora leans her head against Glimmer. “I never thought things could be this good.”</p><p>“Me neither,” Catra says.</p><p>“I always hoped they would be,” Bow says. “But I almost can’t believe they are.”</p><p>“I love all of you so much,” Adora says. </p><p>“We love you too,” Bow and Glimmer say. “I love you more than anything,” Catra whispers, just to her.</p><p>They watch the sun go down and talk, sharing stories and laughing at jokes. Huddled together, they don’t even notice the brisk night air. Adora looks up at the stars. <em> The universe is infinite, </em> she thinks. <em> And so are we. </em></p><p>Two children of Bright Moon and two former Horde kids. A makeshift family full of love, a rescue mission gone right. <em> All is well, </em> Adora thinks. All is well, and Adora? Adora is allowed to be happy. Adora is allowed to be loved.</p><p>This adventure began with all of them still so unsure of each other, issues and insecurities from the war still casting shadows over them all. It ends with them together, happy and safe. It ends with love.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here it is, the very end, all the BFS happy and loved. Thank you to everyone who came on this journey with me!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here it is, my first She-Ra multi-chapter work. Updates will hopefully come pretty quickly, as my baby sister is having surgery and I promised to write stuff for her to read in her recovery. I just *clenches fist* fucking love stories about how redemption and growth change relationships.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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